Ur ,f J/7C
I
SERMONS
Upon the following SUBJECXS,
Viz.
Oil hearing the Word :
On receiving it withMeeknefs •
On renouncing grols Immora-
lities :
On the neccflity of obeying the
Gofpcl :
On being found in Christ :
Qj^j^^caiion by Faith :
Gn tire nature, principle and
extent, of Evangelical Obe-
dience.
On the deceitfulneff of the
Heart, and GOD's know-
ledge il^crcof.
On the ihortnefs and vanity
of Human Life :
And
On the true value, ufe and end
of Life y together with the
conducivenefs of Religilwi to
prolongs and make it happy.
^
By
Paftor of the Weft-Church in Boston.
<* He that hath my word.let him fpeak my word faithfully :'
♦♦ What is the chafF to the wheat ? faith th^* LORD. "
Proph. JER.EM1AH.
" W5 have renounced the hidden things of diflior.cfty, not
♦♦ walking in craftinefs, nor handling the word of GOD
" DECEITFULLY. ". Saint Paul.
B O S r O N',
Printed by Richard Draper, in Newbury-ftrect.
MDOGLV.
f! vi'ja ni
^^d&^'^^&>'^m^^^^
Church and CoK'<i*ti3'A*rre^,': fe
^^TFeJierly Part of Boston.
Sh du t D, perlfeps, liave Had
rather le(s need tn?,n I have
at preient, to apologiz^e. for
:| the Jnaccuracy -9^ i;he. fplr
lowing Diicourfes, hadttiey-
be,en. cqnipofed . \ykli; any
defign to make them more public tl^aji by
prcacliing theiti. Howevpr, it is,^veii
now, almoft ncedlels to^lik Yourcamior
towards One, who 1ms io long expe-
rienced it ; and^ to al]&: candor . of fpine
Others, would, ! know% be in .yain^>
Thefc Dif bourfes, fuph as th^y . . ^rc,
wre written and preached, ^vi,th ;ai %-
cere defirc. to ferve Ypu in Your.moftim^:
portant interefl : I mean, to aflift Ypu in
underlknding fomc of the dodbines, and.»
to excite You tppi^i^licQ all, t)}e duties^, ;oi^^
the Gofpel. ^ With tlicfai^e-. yic^v it is^
that they are now puWiftied. Ihop^
they will not be quite ulelefs t;p.yqu.;>
A 2
on
DEDICATION.
or, indeed, to^VAV ^vho fhall read them
\\'nh a cj:iriflian ipirit, inftead of doing ii
iW rile' antibhrift inn, illiberal fpirit, of e^p-
^iiAi^fe and p^rty..'> biin hjh jm.',)
T H E doftrinal fentiments mnnirjg thro'
them, are fl^ch as I liave been led into,
and confirmed in, by a careful inquiry af-
ter truth, efpecially in the Holy Scrip-
tures, without a zealous attachmcnt^to,
or prejudice againfl:,rhe opinions of Others.
However,^ I pretend not to be exempted
from mi flakes. There mav poilibly be
eM'ors in rhefe Difcoiirfes : If there are, I
am^vei^y forry-; and^ as heartily defirous
tliat thofc \vho read; may difcover and
avoid, then). And if fonte perfon that is
^vifer than myfelf, would point them out
to Me,' 'her would 'make nl'e his debtor ;
efp^ially if he Ihould *do it in the fpirit of
charity and m.eeknefs.
'It' there are any condderable, or dan-
gerous errors in [thcfe Difcourfes, I may^
venture tcrTay, they are not difguilcd ty
any kind of artifice t They doilotjiift
peep thro' the malk of Itudied, equivocal,
and ambiguous phrafes ; nor Ikulk in the
dark, as it were from a confcioufnefs of
what thev arc, and a fear of being detec-
ted : They appear in open diiy-Iight,
with all tlie naked boldnefs of truth
Jii>d innocence. For I have conceived,
That
DEDICATION.
That the the end of fpeakiiig, efpecially
of preaching, was to exprefs, not to dif-
giiife, a man's real fentiments : .ThoM
know that I, herein, differ from lilany of .
my own Order ! This will be a great"
eafe and advantage to any Perfon,'who
ihall bring a charge of herejj againil
me i and undertake to convict me of it,
vvliether privately or publickly. , But You'
ate fenfible, My Brethre^^, that there is
fome difference betwixt railino; and rea-
ibning ; and, confequently, betwixt a
man's being fcolded at, and refuted. I
wilh forne other people knew this alfo !
But I muft now declare, once for all,
That I will not be, even reUgioufy fcolded,
nor pitied, nor wx^pt and lamented, out
of any principles which I believe upon
the authority of Scripture, in the exercife
of that fmall fliare of reafon which God
has given me : Nor will I poflpone this
authority, to that of all the good Fathers
of the Church,even with that of the good
Mothers added to it !
The only favour wdiich I have, now,
to afk of You, Mj Brethren^ and of O*
thers who may happen to read thefe dif-
courfes, is. That you would do it with
an open, unprejudiced mind ; and then
either rejed, or believe and prac^Uce, ac-
cording to the light and convidion of
your
iv DED I:C AT I O Ni
your own confcicnces. Religion is a.
matter of too great importance to be only
(lightly thought of : It demands Your
firlt and laft attention. And as I hop-e.
You are all too fenfiblc of commqn humari
frailt>y,to be uncharitable bigots and party-
men in religion ; fo I hope You are, on the
other hand, too wife to be fceptics : The
two extreams, into which men of weak
and wicked minds often run ; fometimes,
indeed, out of the one, dircdl}^ into the
other, without flopping a moment at the
golden medium.
You hare a juft title, Mj Brcthreuy to *
my ^Y^rmeft good wilhes, and to my
pravers, by virtue of the relation in which
I Itand towards You : Thefe wiflies and
prayers are. That You may all " know
'^ the truth as it is in Tesus ;'' and finaU
ly partake of that bleflcd lite, and glorious"
immortality, brought to light by HIM,,
thro' the Gofpcl. But, in the meantime^
I; \vill not forget to wilh You all temporal'
and worldly profpcrity ; being, in all
'•ofpeCts,
Your Jincere Friend,
And, I hope,
Not Unfaithful Servant
)n the Work of thcMiniftry,
J. MAYHEW.
THE CONTENTS.
JL EN Sermons on Jctmesl, zi, 22.
L AT apart all Fihbinefs and Super'fiuUy of
J<faughtinefs^ and receive with Meeknefs the in-
grafted Word^ which is able to fave your Sails,
BUT he ye doers of the Wordy and not hkarers
: mlyt deceiving your . own f elves,
SERMON I.
Upon Hearing the Word, Page r.
SERMON II.
ITdqii wcciving the Word with Meeknefs, P. 1 9.
.n ^ri^I SERMON III.
Upon the neceflity of renouncing Vice in its grof-
fer Forms, in order to a due receiving of the
Gpfpel, P. 49.
S E R M O N IV.
"Upon the neceflity of yielding a pra^ical Obe-
dience to the Gqfpel, in order to obtaining the
Salvation revealed in it, P. 73.
SERMON V.
Of niiflakes concerning the Terms of Salvation ;
and particularly concerning Salvation by
Grace, P. 99,
S E R M O N VI.
Qf miftakes concerning being found in Chrift, not
^having our own righteoufnefs, P. 127.
S E R M O N VII.
Of tiiiftakes concerning Juilification byFaith -P. 170
S £ R M O N VIII.
Upon the fame Subje.fV, P. 204.
SERMON IX.
Upon the Nature and Principle of Evangelical
Obedience, P. 256.
SERMON X.
Upon the Extent of Evangelical Obedience ; to-
gether with a fliort Defcription of it, as it is
'Mind in the Heirs of Salvation, P. 308.
SERMON
c O ^i' T E R rr^i ; i
S E R M O N XI.
Upon the Dectitfulnffs of the Heart ; GOD's
Searching it, and the End thereof.
Jeremiah XVII. c), lo. T/je Heart is de-
ceitful above all Things^ and defperately wicked^
who can knew it ? I the Lord fearch the- Hearty
I try the Reins ^ even to give every Man <icccrding
to bis fVaySy and according to the Fruit cf his
Doings. P. 360
SERMON XII.
Upon the Shortnefe and Viinity of Human Life ;
Occafioned by the Death of a Toung Pcrfon.
Psalm XXXIX. 5, 6. Behold, thbu hafi
made ;wv Days as an Ha7id- Breadth., and mine Age
is CIS nothing before thee : Verily every Man at
his befi Eflatcis altogether Vanity. Selab. Sure-
ly every Man "jsalketh in a vain Sher.v\ fureiy
they are difquieted in vain P. 413.
SERMON Xllf.
Upon the true Value, Ufe and End of Life ;
:mdi the Conduciyenefs of Religion to prolong,
and make it happy : Occafioned by tlic Death
-of fome //^t'^ Pcrfons.
PsALNf XXXIV. 1 2—! 5. IVhat Man is he
that defireth Life., and loveth many Days that ht
may jee4gobd ? Keep thy Tongue from Evil^ and
thy Lips from fpeaking Guile, Depart from Evil
und do Good ', feek Peace and purfue it. The Eyes
of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears
are open unto their cr\. P. 454.
S E R Si O N XIV.
I.^pontlie fame Subject, P. 480.
.V. D. 7"/.':- El rata art/:t fti Efui (>f^he Look.
SERMON
n»
is
^...:;^^
SERMON I.
Upon Hearing the Word,
James I 21, 22.
L AT apart allfilthinefs and fuperfluity ofnaugh-
tinefs^ and receive with tr^eeknefs the ingrafted
word^ which is able tofaveyour (ouls. But be
doers of the word^ mid not hearers only^ de*
ceiving ycur own fdves.
His apodolical exhortation con- SerM.
firts of two principal parts.— I.
The former of which rcfpeds
the duty of hearing the word
and gofpel of the kingdom, ia
a way fuitablc to the importanc*
and grand dcfign of it. " Lay apart all filchi-
•* nefs and fuperfluity of naughtincfs ; and re*
** ccive with meekncfs the ingrafted word, which
" is able to fave your fouls. " The latter, re-
fpcfts the necefllty of yielding a praSical obedience
B C9
1
s
^5S1
^,
OnH.
earinp-
to this heavenly mcfTige, in orJer to icf; great end
being anfwered upon us •, together with the mi-
fciable d^lufion which thofc arc undtT, who con-
tent themfelvcs with hearing ir, without hving
acconling to it. " But be ye doers of the word,
** and not hearers only, deceiving your own
« fclves. "
This is the fird, general diftribution of the fub-
je6l before us. But it may be ufeful to give the
fevcral things contained in this paflage, a more
particular confideration in the following order.
I will difcourfc,
I. Of the Duty of Hearing the Worri.
,n. Of Receiving it with Meeknefs.
III. Of tlie necelTity of renouncing Vice in all
its grofer Forms, m order thereto : Or, in
t!:e language of the Aj^oflle, of laying apart
nil JillhincfSy and fuperfluity of naughtinefs.
|V. Of the necefTity of cbcyi'ig the Gofpel, ia
order fj obtaining the Salvation of it.
y. Of feme Miftnkes concerning the Terms of
Salv'ation ; and particularly concerning SaN
vatlon by Grace,
VL Op
the Word, 3
VI. Of M'lftakes concerning being found hi Serm*
Christ, not having our own Righteoufnefs, I;
V—
VII. Of Miftakes concerning Juftification by
Faithy as Faith is diftinguifhed from, and
oppofed to, Evangelical Obedience,
VIII. Of the Nature and Principle of Evangeli-
cal Obedience.
IX. AND LASTLY. Of thc Extent of this Obe-
dience, together with a brief Defcription of
it, as it is found in good Men, who are thc
Heirs of Salvation,
FIRST9 I am 'to reprefent . the obligation
lying upon all Chriftians in general to be Hearers
of the Word and Gofpel of the Kingdom. I
fay, lying upon Chriftians ; bccaufe it is to fuch,
^hat the apoftic is here fpeaking ; not to uncon-
verted Jews or Gentiles^ but to thofe of the
t-joehe Tribes fcattered abroad^ who were already
profelytcd to the Chriftian Faith •, as appears
from theEpiftle itfeif. However it is not meant,
that this is thc duty of Chriftians, exclufively of
t)thers. Our Saviour having commanded, that
the gofpel Ihould be preached for a witnefs to all
People ; all are accordingly required to hearken
to it ; and thofe who refufe to do this, iire, in
the language of fcripture, faid to judge themfehei
B 2 un-
4 On Hearing
SerM. u^'^orthy of eternal life. Rut feeing the apoftic
I, JaiMS here direfls his Difcourfe to profcfied
Chrifiians, I fliall confine myfclf to fuch.
It is not to be fuppofed, that when Perfoni
are once become Bdievers of the Gofpel, they
need have no farther concern to hear, and
to attend to it, from time to time ; as tho' this
w'lfdom of God in a mytlery, were to be learned all
at once, and difrcgarded afterwards. The apoftle
cxprcfles himl'elf in a manner that prefuppofes it
to be the known, acknowledged duty of Chrif-
fians in common, to give conftant and diligent
Heed to the word which began to he fpoken hy
the Lord^ and was confirmed by them that heard
him : For his Exhortation chiefly refpefls the
r,ian7ier in whicli this word of Truth ought to be
received •, the duty of Hearing it in general^ be-
ing rather taken for griznted, than dircftly aflerted.
And by his ufing the ExprcfTion of hearing the
word^ repeatedly, as he docs in the Context, it
is at lead probable, that he had a fpcc'ul reference
to liearing it preached in Chrijiian /ijfemhiiesy at
Jiated Times, by thofe whofe fpecial Bufinefs and
Office it was to teach, to reprove, to rebuke, and
exhort, with all long-fuffering and doctrine. The
Apodle, certainly did not deHgn to preclude, or
fct aOdc, other means of inflruclion and edifica-
tion ; fuchas reading, meditation, and private,
focial converfe ; all v^hich, in their places, arc
very beneficial to thofe tliat ufc them. But
who-
the Word. 5
whoever will be at the pains to look into the Qgj^i^l^
Chapter, wil], if I millake not, find that: St. j^
Jamis had a particular reference to the Hated,
and divinely inftituted method of Chriftian edifi-
cation in the AfTemblies and Churches of the
Saints •, wherein one Perfon, at leafl:,, excrcifed
the office of a Teacher ; inftru6ling the youn^j
and ignorant, ilirring up the minds of the mere
knowing, and inculcating upon all^ the praftice
of Chriftian piety and virtue.
This was one very confiderable end, tho*
not the only one, propofed in the firft inllitution
of Chriftian AiTemblies. And it is, in a great
meafure, by this means that Chriftianity has been
handed down from age to age, from generation
to generation ; tho' not with equal purity and
advantage in all times and places. And one may
venture to aflert, that, upon th« whole, great
good has refulted to the world from this pradlice \
and that Chriftians cannot, under any pretence
whatever^ for fake the affemhling of ibemfelves to-
gether, for the mentioned purpofe, without be-
ing highly culpable. This is a Method of in-
ftrudlion and edification, that is plainly of divine
inftitution, and therefore demands the regard and
fubmifllon of all Chriftians, at all times, and in
all places, wherein it is praiflicable. Nor can con-
forming to this inftitution, be ufelefs and unpro-
fitable to any, who aflemble to hear the word
with that meeknefs which the Apoftle injoins : I
B 3 mean.
6 0?i Hearing
Sepm. mean, provided the Gofpcl is preached to them
I;- in any tolerable degree of purity and integrity.
To be fure the upholding of thefe Afiemblies
nnifl be very aclvantageous to all that frequent
them, if the holy Scriptures are read therein from
time to time, in a language that is undcrftood by
:A\. Which, by the way, ought, I fuppofc, to
be one flatcd and conHraht part of the religious
exercifc in thefe affcimblies : Nor is the Omiflion
hereof very confiRcnt with that regard Chriftians
in general profefs, for thefe facred writings ; and
which they Evidently claim, as being given hy in-
fpittttion cf. God ; and the great rule of our
Faith and Pra£lice, ' Thefe Scriptures at leafV,
are ^' profitable for do<5lrine, for reproof, for
correflion and for rnftrudion in righteoufnefs»
that every man and child of God may be perfedl,
3nd throughly ^rnifhed unto all good works. "
To ihem we ought furely to give '* diligent heed,
as unto a light (hining in a dark place i they be-
ing a fure word of prophecy •, " and graciouQy
given us of God, to guide our feet into the pathi .
of truth and jK-acr, until the dawn of a more
perfecft day, " and the day-ftar arifc in our
Hearts. "
Nor can it be reafonably tho't, that the word
preached even by fallible men, is altogether uft-
Jefs and unprofitable to them that duly attend
upon it. On the contrary, this is very condu-
tivc to the good end mentioned ; a^d, as was
the Word. 7
intimated before, claims our regard, as an infti- Serm;
Cution of our Saviour, the Head of the Church : I.
Who when he afcended up on high, gave not
only Apoflles, Prophets and Evangehfts \ but
alfo ** Faftdrs and Teachers^ for the perfecting o(
the Saints, for the work of the miniftry, for the
edifying of His body, 'till we all come in the uni-
ty of the Faith, and of the Knowledge of the
Son of God, unto a perfed man, unto the n^a<^-
fure of the ftature of tl:^^ fulnefs of Chrift •, that
we be no more children, tolTcd to and fro, and
carried about with every wind of doctrine.
However imperfectly this bufinefs of public
teaching and exhorting ; of expounding the holy
Scriptures, and urging the motives to evangelical
obedience, may oiten be performed \ yet it is un-
queftionably fubfervient to very good ends ; and
fhould not be contemned and difregarded by any
that call themfelves Chrift's Difciples. It will be
no great compliment upon the Clergy ( an order
of men which I am not much difpofed to flatter)
to lay, that there are many perfons in all coun-
tries, who are not fuch proficients in Chriftian
knowledge, as to be quite pad receiving any in-
ftrudtion trom them ; efpecially from fuch of
them as "'- rightly divide the Word of truth. "
And fome of thofe perfons, who prefume this to
be their own cafe, may after all be a little mifla-
k^ n in themfelvf s •, and think as much too highly
of their Qwa abilities, as they do too lowly of
B 4 thofe
On Hearing
thofc of others. To be furc, one fhal! harc^ly
meet with more vain, fuperficial, emptyCrcarurcs,
than amongft: thofe who take it upon them to
run down that order of men ; and to fct them at
naught, as tho* all their in(lru6tions 'were ufeleft
to the world, at bed. And the Cl-rgy mud be
very ignorant indeed, ignorant of the rudimentt
and fird principles of Chriftianiry, were they not
able to indruft a multitude of thefe bluftering
Sparks, and foolifh, conotritcd Sc offers y who take
it upon thcmfclves tu run tlum down. But all
comparifons are fiid to be odi us \ and, perhaps,
there can be none more fo than fuch an one as
tliis
It is not to be doubted, indeed, but that, a-
mongfl the Laiety^ ( I ufe this term merely for
diflinAion fake ; not by way of reproach and
contempt, as it has too often been ufed by fome
arrogant Ecclefiajlicks.) It is not to be doubted,
I fay, but that amongft the Laiety there are ma-
ny perfons, from whom a great part ot the Cler-
gy might be glad to be inftru(flcd, even in mat-
lers that are more peculiarly their own province.
But on the other hand, it is to be rcmembred,
that there are great numbers of children and
youth •, and many f)crfons of adult age, that arc
cither ot mean educatioc, or none at all •, many
poor, labouring people, who have no time for
reading and contemplation ; and many others fo
embarrAjTcd with a multiplicity of bufmcfs, and
the
the Word. ^ 9
the cares of this life, that they do not in fa<5l ap- Serm,
ply themfelves to the acquifition of Chriftian fci- \
ence; and I might dill add, great numbers of a
low capacity, who after all their diligence and
pains, can attain to but little knowledge •, I fay
there arc great numbers of thefe different forts or
clafles of people, that may furcly receive fome
ufeful inftrudlion even from the fulpt. Allow-
ing i\{Q, clergy only a common fhare of natural
underftanding, ( and it would feem hard to deny
them this ) it is very ftrange if, with the advan-
tage of a learned education, and fevcral, perhaps
many, years clofe application to the fludy of
facred fcience, they are not qualified to be teach-
ers of babes •, of raw, untaught, undifciplined
youth ; of thofc whofe lot it is to labour almoft
inceflantly for the meat that perijheth -, of thofc
who have never given much of their attention to
the fubjed of religion ; and of thofc who arc
not even capable of attaining to any confider-
able degree of this knowledge, for a certaia
reafon already hinted at. — So that after we have
excepted all thofe, who have any, even the
lead pretence to be excepted, on account of their
fuperior capacity and cxtenfive knowledge j there
are multitudes in all Chriftian countries, who
ought to be Hearers of the word as publickly
preached^ wcrt It only for the inftrucYion in truth
and righteoufnefs, which they may gain by at-
tending upon this inftitution. And how few
there
JO On Hearing
thf re are, comparatively fpeaking, who have any
right to look upon themfelves as exceptions in the
prcfcnr Q^{^y upon thtr fcorc of their being wijet
than their teachers^ I fhall not prefume to dcter^
mine.
But as to thofe who are really too great pro-
ficients in fiicrcd knowledge, to be capable of be-
ing inftrti^ed in this way ; ( let their number be
greater or lefs ) they fhoukl remember that in-»
ftru6lion, mod properly fo called, is very far from
being the whole dcfign of preaching, and of
hearing the word. Tiiere are other good and
important ends to be anfwered hereby, which arc
common to all Chriflians in general •, to the wife
and learned, as well as to ihe fimple and illiterate.
Ar^ not the mincis and merhories of the more
knowing, to be ftii red up and refrefhed ; and
their attention to the great dot^rincs and duties of
the gofpcl, awakened from time to time, as well as
the minds of the ignorant to be informed ? I'hc
preacher, tho* uf no diftinguiflied talents whe-
ther natural or acquired, may pr^fTib'y edify tlie
wifefl of his auditors, luid fuch as are much wlfer
than himfclf •, by putting them in mind of what
they before knew, and were cflabhhed ir. The
Apoftles themlclves did not aKv.ivs propofe, in
rheir preaching and writing, to affofii new hght
^v\^i information to their h-arers, and th (c ta
whom they wrote. " I will not be ncL^ligcnr,
* lays St. Peter^ to put you always in rcmem*
" braiicc
the Word. ii
*< brancc of thefe things, altho' yc know thetn, SerM.
*^' and be eftabliriied in the prefent truth. Yea I i
<« "think it meet, as long as I am in this taber-
** nacle, to ftir you up, by putting you in re-
" membrance. " Thofe who conceive that the
informing of men's underftandings, cither is, or
ought to be, the fole end of preaching •, ;ind who
therefore Oic^^it themfelves from hearing, under
a notion that they cannot be taught or inftru(fled,
are fo far from being the wifeft of men, ( unlefs
it is in their own vain imaginations ) that they
want one to *' teach them even the firft princi-
ples of the oracles of God'-, " and have much
more need of that milk Vhich they loath and
defpife, than of that ftrong meat which their too
forward and vitiated appetite fo eagerly craves,
and hankers after.
Men that are truly wife, are fenfiblethat they
need fomething befides fpeculative knowledge,
fomething befides the fcience of religion, confi-
dered as the furniture of the head. They know
they are but too apt to let Hip many ufeful and
falutary truths, which ought to be always prefent
with them -, and which may be again fuggefted
to them, even by perfons that are every way their
inferiors. Such Perfons alfo know, that old
truths may be fet in new and different points of
light, fo as to come better recommended to their
underftandings, and to take fader hold of the
mind and confcience, than they have done before.
They
1 2 0?i Hearing
They arc aware how apt good imprcfTions on the
heart, are to wear out, or at Icaft to grow fainC
and dim, if not frequently renewed. 1 hey know
that the fpirit of devotion, and the religion of the
heart, is a fire which will infenfibly languifh and
go to decay, in the damps and mifts and impure
vapors of this world, if it be not often fupplied
with new fewel from heaven, and from that word
of God which is fomctimes like a fire, to melt
and infiame the heart, as well as, at others, like
a fword to pierce, or a hammer to break it in
pieces. They are fcnfible how expedient and
profitable it is, to have the great proofs of Chrif-
tianity fet before therri^Vom time to time •, to-
gether with the great motives to holinefs of life ;
the majeity and perfeflions of God ; the love and
grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift: •, the vanity of
this world ; the excellency and happinefs of reli-
gion ; the glories and terrors of the laft day •, the
joys of the righteous, and the dcfti uctiun and
mifery of the wicked. Wife men do ncf think
it ufclefs, to be frequently reminded ot lucK
things : but know the benefit hereof, and that
even a weak man may prove a friendly monitor
10 them in thefe refpeds.
It is farther to be obferved, th.it thofe who arc
not diredly able to inftrud others, may yet be a
means, in tlic hand of providence, of fugged ing
and hinting lome things to them, which they
never happened to think of before i and which
may
tU Word. 13
may naturally lead them into a long tramof ufc- SerM.
ful rcfledion. And in this fenfe, God does pro- \^
bably fomctimes ordain praife^ even out of thi
inouths of babes and fucklings. In fine here, thofe
who really deferve the charader of wife men, ( a
chara(51er to which fo many put in their claim,
without any colour of right and juftice ) know,
that it is folly for men to pretend to be wifer than
their maker •, or to throw contempt upon any
of his inftitudons, from a vain conceit that they
do not need them. They will therefore, as Solo-
fnon obferves, hear^ and increaje learning. The
mod: fure and effc(51:ual%^means o^ growing in
grace^ ^nd in the knowledge of our Lord and Sa-
viour Jefus Chriif^ is to walk in all his ordinances
blamelefs \ of which, hearing the word, is evi-
dently one. Nor have any a right to, be called
the Friends of God and religion, who do not
love the place where he recordeth his name^ and
where his honor dwelleth % the place where he
€ommandeth the blejfmg^ even life for evermore.
Were it only for example-fake, the more
knowing part of Chriflians ought certainly to
countenance and encourage the publick religious
cxercifes of the Lord's Day, by attending upon
them. Otherwife they will naturally come to be
difrcgarded by that part of mankind who mod
need fuch helps and afliftances : I mean the com-
mon people. And thus, thro* the knowledge of
Ibme, whether real or imaginary, the weak Bro-
ther
14 * On Heaf^mg
SerM. ^^^^ ^^^y ^^''i/^j M '^^^om Chnff died. When-
I^ ever it (hull come to be generally fuppofed, that
the religious excrciies here intended, arc defigned
only for the benefit of the vulgar and illiterate ;
and when they fhall accordingly be negkcled by
perfons of knowledge and capacity, it will foon
be looked upon as difreputable for any to attend
upon them, as being a tacit confefTion of their
ignorance. And io every one, will think him-»
fcJf under a fort of obligation to abfent himfclf
from the publick worfhip of his Maker, and from
ih^ place where his word is read and preached ;
in order to prove to the world that he is a man of
wifdom. And indeed there are many amongft
us who give no other evidence befidcs this, of
their fuperiority to the bulk of mankind ; tho' I
cannot at prefent think it a conclufive argument.
But to draw towards a conclufion of this dip-
courfe : It is manifeftly the duty of all Chriilians
in common to hear t!ic word ; particularly, to
hear it in the public a[femhly of the SaintSy upon
the dated timers for fuch reiigious cxcrcifes. It
is the duty of the young and old, wife and
fimplc, male and female, bond and free, to come
and fit before Ccd as his People ftteth^ ( to ufe
the language of Scripture) ; and conftantly to at-
tend upon the appointed means of inflru^lion and
edification. 1 he gofpcl injoins this upon aJl,
without making any exception. The far greater
part of Chridiani arc not paft being taught and
jn(lru(flcd
the Word. 15
inftru(!tcd In this way: Some may have their pure, Serm.
and others, their impure minds, ftirred up : Some \^
tnay be inlightned in their duty : Others may have
known duties inculcated upon them to advan-
tage ; and All may be furthered in the way that
leads to eternal life, provided they hear the word
with a fuitablc temper of mind. It is no fufficienC
cxcufe for ntglecHiing the publick worlhip, that
the Perfon who officiates^ is not one of a diftin-
guifhed capacity and great learning -, or that he
is not even as one that has a pleafant voice^ snd
can play well upon an inftrument. It is better to
hear the great do6lrines, duties and promifes of
the gofpel, from the mouth of a plain, illiterate
man, than not to hear them at all : And the
foul may be caught up to Heaven, altho' not
wafted thither by mufic and harmonious founds.
To conclude, therefore, let me befeech all
thofe who claim the worthy and facred name of
Cbrjjlians^ ( for with others I am not now con-
cerned) to be at leaft hearers of the word. There
are no excufes for neglefting this, cafes of necef-
fity and mercy being excepted, which will not
fiiow either the ignorance, or the pride and va-
nity, of thofe who make them. And if a mati
IS not fo much as a hearer^ we have furely na
reafon to think that he is a doer of the word, or
will be bklTed in his deed. Chriftians ought
doiibtlefs to be left at liberty where, and v/ith
whom they will aflemble for the purpofe men-
tioned X
1 6 On Hearing
SeRM. tinned ! And fhould excrcifc their reafon, difcrc-
I. tion and confciencc in making the choice. But
thcy^Fe abfolutely incxcufable if they do not at-
tend thc'publick worfhip feme where or other \
even tho* there may be no fcdl, church or deno-
mination of Chrtftians, with which they can in-
tircly fall in. It^s one of the chief honours of
the prcfent age, th^t the principles of religion,
particularly of religious liberty, ere better under-
flood, and more generally efpoufed, than they
have, perhaps been, fince the days oftheapoftles.
It were to be wifhed, that praffical Chriflianity
had made progrcfs in the fame proportion. But
it cannot be denied, that many, together with
fome vulgar errors and fuperftitions, have in a
manner thrown off even the form of godlinefs ;
laying no ftrefs at all upon thofe outward ordi-
nsinces and inftitutions, upon which too great a
ftrefs has doubtlefs been laid- heretofore. This
feems to be the cafe not only in other countries >
but in our own. We are manifeftly running in-
to an extreme •, at lead many amongft us are,
under a notion of a more rational religion ; an
extreme which, it is to be feared, may in time,
leave fcarce the outward (hew and appearance of
Chriftianity amongd us. Let not us, my Bre-
thren, do any thing which may have a natural
tendency to bring our hJy religion intodifreputc.
Remembring that we arc net 'without law to
God, but undtr the law to ChriSl ; let us pay a
due
the Word. t.7
•
dac and facred regard to all his commahds and in- S E RM»
ftitutions ; particularly that, refpecfling the pub- I.
lick worfhip, and hearing the word. In the lan-
guage of the Apoftle, with whoft; words I fhall
clofe this difcourfe, " Let us hold fad the pro-
*' feffion of our faith without wavering •, (for he
" is faithful that promifed ) and let us confider
" one another, to provoke to love and to good
** works ; not forjaktng the ajfe.mbling of cnr*
*' Jelves tegeth^r^ as the manner of fome is ; but
** exhorting one another •, and fo much the more^
** as we fee the day approaching. *!
C 5ERMCN
f-r
SERMON II.
19
Upon Receiving the Word with
Meeknefs.
James I. 21, 22.
LAT apart all filthinefs and fuperfiuity of naugh-
iimfsy and receive with meeknefs the ingrafted
word^ which is able to fave your fouls. But be
ye doers of the word^ and not hearers only^ de-
ceiving your own felves,
THE duty of hearing the v/ord, having Serm^
been briefly fhown in the foregoing jj
difcourfe ; we are now to confider with
what temper it ought to be attended
Upon, and received. ** Receive with meeknefs
the ingrafted word, fays the apoftle, which is
able to fave your fouls. " We are more parti-
cularly and direclly admonifhed by thefe words,
to hear and receive the Gofpel with a humble
and teachable i^m'^^T of mind, as oppofcd to.
C 2 tba;
20 0?i R^ceivmg the Word
Se.RM- ^^^^ P^^^^ captioufnefsy ancj vjrangliieg difpofi-
n. tion, which arc but too commonly found amongft
the profeflbrs of Chriftianity. However, I fhall
take the liberty to confider the words in a greater
latitude, as defigncd to injuin upon us all that
care and reverence, that candor and love of truth,
that fimplicity and docility of mind, which be-
come finful creatures, when the Gofpel is prea-
ched to them •, and which are futabk to the na^
ture and dcHgn of this difpenfation of the Grace
of God to the World. And the admonition
may accordingly comprifein it the following par-
ticulars :
That wc hear the word with c^re and. atten^
iioHy in oppofuion to (loth, lifllcfntfs, and a lazy
indiifcrencc :
With fohriety and due deccrum^ in oppofition
to indecent levity, and rudenefs :
With humility^ and a tea chahU tmper^ in
oppofiticn to a fpirit of pride,, carping aiid con-
tradi(flion :
With due caution^ ( when it is preached by
fallible men ) in oppofuion to a talfe humility,
which difpofes many people to fwallow down
\^hatcvcr they hear from the Pulpit^ tho' often
very contrary to the do<^rinc of our Saviour and
his Apoftlcs :
With
with Meeknefs. tx
With patience and ciffe^fionate ^<?^^^-to the^S^j^j^j^
truth, aJtho* nothing new (hquld be faid upon j^ .^
the rubje(5t treated, in oppofition to that v^in
curiofity and love of novelty, which we fee in
thofe that have itching Ears :
With candour and impartiality^ in oppofition .
to all perfonal prejudice, and tothefpiritof party :
With felf-application^ in oppofition to that
common humour of applying what is faid to the.
cafe of our neighbours :
And laftly. With a fingle view, and an hearty
defire, to receive chriftian edification ; and to
obtain that which is the great end of the Gofpcl-
revelation, and of our Faith in it, even the Salva-
tion of our Souls,
Let meinlarge a little upon the feveral par-
ticulars hinted at above.
I, We fhould hear the word with care and
attention^ in oppofition to (loth, liftlcfncfs, and
a lazy indifference. GhriUians ought not, at any
time, to hcjlothfulin huftnefs^ but ever ferveyit
in fpirity ferving the Lord. But there is a pecu-
liar itp propriety in withdrawing ' our attention,
and indulging to floth, when we are afifembled
^o worfliip God, and to hear his word. The
C 3 cold-
22 On Receiving the Word
coldnefs and carelcfnefs, with which many Chri-
flians fit under the difpenfation of this heavenly
do(5liine, is very furprifing, and hardly to be ac-
counted for. The Gofpel is not only the word of
Him that fpeaketh from heaven ; but it is that
wherein we are all particularly interefted, and
far more fo than we are in any thing befides.
This is that Gofpel which contains the overtures
of peace and reconciliation, which God is making
to his finful Creatures ; wherein '* Life and im-
morrahty arc brought to light " ; which contains
all the folid grounds of our hope and expedla-
tions of future blifs -, and which we ought in rea-
fbn to look upon 2J^ good nrjos from a far coun-
try •, " a faithful faying, and worthy of all ac-
ceptation ", With what raifed attention ? with
what holy reverence ? with what humble grati-
tude, doe^ it then become us to hear and receive
this ingrafted word, which is able to fave our
ibub •, and which is fpokcn to us folely for that
end ? But alas ! were a trifling, unconceming
ftory told us, from a remote part of the world,
by fome romantic traveller, many perfons would
be at Icall as attentive to it, and fome much
iiiorc (i), than tliey are in our religious affemblies,
to thofc glad tidings which Chrift, the true and
faithful witncfs, has brought from Heaven to
Earth. Altho* God, who " at fundry times,
and in divers manners, fpake to the fathers by
the prophets, hath in thcfe laft days fpokcn to
the
'With Meeknefs. 33
the world by his Son " ; yet many tov/hcm this Sekm*
gofpfl of the Kingdom is preached, and who jj,
profcfs to believe it, pay far lefs regard to it, than
they would to an account of the Mogul-Empire \
of the wars o^ Kouli Kan \ and of many other
things, if pofTible, both Icfs interefting to them,
and lefs confiderable in their own nature. They
could not doze and flumbcr more, while the
mod idle, the moft uninterefting tales were tel-
ling, than they do, when the Gofpel of their
Salvation is read or preached to them. Good
God ! what impiety ? what infatuation is this ?
Is this to pay a due regard to thy overtures of
peace and happintfs to rebellious mortals ! Is
this to give proper heed to the Revelation which
thou haft made of thy felf by thy Son I Is this
to hear, and to receive with meeknefs, the in-
grafted word ! Is it not rather to flop the ear
againft the voice of divine love and compafTion !
Is it not rather to throw manifeft open contempt
upon thy word, than to pay any honor to it !
Some of thofe perfons whom I here intend,
are fo far from hearing the word with a becom-'
ing attention, that they do not hear it all ; but
defignedly compofe themftlves to reft in the place
of public worflup, as tho' they bad KOt boufes to
Jleep in ; or rather, as tho' they were determined
to fliow how much they defpije the Church cf
Gody and at once to caft contempt both upon
God and Man. For this is done by ihofe who
C 4 fit
2 4- On Receiving the JVord
SerM. ^^^ ^" ^^^ ^^'^^ ^f^ t\^tjleeper^^ as well as thofe
n. "Wiio fit in that of the [corners. And it is pro-
bable that few would be thus pafl hearings were
tiiey not fii^ paft feelingy having their conjciences
feared as with an hot iron. In (hort, the inde-
cent cuflom of which I am now fpeaking, is c-
qually an affront to God and man; an equal con-
tradiiflion to all piety, and good manners : Nor
will any allow themfelves in it, who have not
i>oth 2^fiony hearty and a brazen front,
1. Christians ought to hear the word with
fobriety and due decorum^ in cippofition not only
to a dull indiOkrrence and ofcitancy ; but alfo in
oppofitioa to that indecent levity and rudenefs,
which we fonnctinies fee in our religious alTem-
blies. The tidings which the Gofpel brings are
too interefting to be heard with coldnrfs and care-
iefnefs •, too Criou^. folemn and facred, to be
heard with ur.holy mirth, and wanton gaiety.
The impcjrtant nature and fubjed of this mcflagc
ffom Gud to man, evidently demand a devout
^d reverential,- as well as a diligent and fixed
attention in tiie hearer. However f jme feem to
indulge themfelves as much i.i unfeafonabie, un-
feemly 'evity of mind^ as others do in an irreli-
gious lumpininers,and a certain litelefs, fi)iritler5
gravity. Nor is the former of thefe, any more
than the latrrr, a fiitablc frame and temper with
which to receive the ingrafted word. To hear it
with
-with Meehtefs. 25
with merriment and laughter, is not furely con- Ser\|.
fiftent with that meek receiving it, which is in- jj^
joined upon us. " To every thing there is ^
feafon and a time to every purpofe under hea-
ven— a time to weep as well as a time to laugh."
Let thofe who are difpofed to be gay and jovial,
be fo in due time and place •, and none but fome
gloomy, morofc devotionifts, or the hypocritical
pretenders to extraordinary faniflity, will blame
them for it. But this, hbwever innocent upon
fome occafions, is very unbecoming, and even
criminal, when we are aflembled for the exercifes
of religion, and to " hear what God the Lord
" will fay unto us," refpecling things of the
greateft importarxe. When we receive His mef-
fage in the Gofpel, the end of which is the falva-
tion of our fouls, we (hould not only abflain frorh
all external lightnefs of behaviour, from all thofe
mirthful airs, which might be harmlefs at other
times ; but alfo banifli every idle thought, every
vain imagination, that would intrude itfelf upon
us fo unfeafonably. We Ihould abflirad our-
felves, as much as pofTible, from all terreflial //
things in general ; and compofe ourfelves to fo-
briety, and holy reverence. It is only fuch a
grave, ferious temper and deportm.enf, that is
fuitable to the majefty of that Prefence in which
we are ; and to the nature of that mefTage which
is delivered to uSo
One
26 On Receiving the Word
One would be almoft ready to fufpefl, from
the countenance and air of many perfons in our
religious afT^mblics, that they were afhamed to^
have the Jeafl appearance of a ferious, devout
mind, left they fhould be looked upon cither as
fupcrftitious, or hypocritical. But furcly, if there
is any fuch thing as religion, there is a naedium
betwixt a fuperftitious, fullcn, or affected gravity
at the public worfhip, and that tho'tlefs levity of
behaviour, which is here intended. There is a
certain ferioufnefs of mind, and compofednefs of
foul, wliich corrcfponds to the nature and dellgn
of religion ; and which almoft unavoidably dif-
covers itfelf wherever it is, even in the features
of the face, and in a pcrfon's whole air and de-
portment. And altho' an affeded hypocritical
gravity is juftly odious to God and man j yet to
be really grave, and in earnefl in religion, is high-
ly commendable ; nor is it proper, or reafonable.
to avoid the appearance of thicS ; or to ftrive a«
gainft that which is tlie natural indication of fuch
a temper and frame of heart.
3. We ought to hear the word with a hum-
lle^ isacbabk temper, in oppofition to a fpirit of
pride, carping, and contradidion. And this, as
has been already obfcrved, is that which the a-
poftle more dircdly intends by receiving the
word with mcdnefs. Whenever we go to the
place of worfliip, to hear the Gofpel 'read or
preached
with Meeknefs. 27
preached, it fhould be with a mind difpofed to Serm.
receive ,inftru(flion, and an ear open to difcipline. jj.
The oracles of God in general, as wejl as the
writings of Solomon in particular, were defigned
" to make us know wifdom, to perceive the
** words of underftanding, to receive the inftruc-
" tion of wifdom, juftice, judgnnent and equity ;
" to give fubtlety to the fimple, to the young
" man knowledge and difcretion.*' And with
this view, with a humble, meek and teachable
temper, we ought always to hear the word of
God : not that we may obferve fomething to
criticize upon, and cavil at ; not that we may
indulge our vanity, with the fecret thought how
much wifer we are than the poor Parfon^ as he
goes along. However many that are far lefs
wife than David do not fcruple to adopt his
Words — " I have more underftanding than all
** my teachers : i underftand more than the
♦* Ancients."
This is a temper of mind, wliich utterly un-
fits perfons for receiving any benefit from the
preached and ingrafted word : And were it heard
forever, with no better, and naore tra6lable a
difpofition, it would not be the means of faving
a fingle foul. How contrary is fuch a vain, proud
and captious humour, to that meekncfs with
which we are injoined to receive the ingrafted
word ? How inconfiftent is fuch a fpiric, with that
fimpiicity, and humble defirc of improvement*
which
0;; Receiving the Word
which Zt, Peter recommends in his frfi Epiftlc ?
*^ 1 he word of the Lord, fays he, endurqjh for-
" ever ; and this is the word, which by the Gof-
" pel is preached to you. Wherefore laying
*' afide all niahce, and all guile and hypocrifies
** and envies, and evU fpeakings, as new-born
" babes defirc the fincere milk of the word» that
*' ye may grow thereby.'* How contrary is
this temper, to that which our vSaviour reprefents
as necefiary to a due hearing of the Gofpel, fo as
to receive benefit therefrom .'' " V^erily, verily, I
*' fay unto you, that whofcevcr fhall not receive
*' the Kingdom of God as a little child, fliall by
" no means enter into it. **
Let none of us give way to a proud, cavilling,
and wrangling fpirit, when we aflemble to hear
the word •, but keep our heart as well as our fccty
'with ^11 diligence^ ivben we go to the bcufe cf
(jod. The meancll perfon may fay fomething
which m.iy be to our cdif.ccticn : Nor fhould wc
be above receiving /i>j/ from anyone, even from
the meaneft. No one furcly will think himfelf
above this, who fincerely dcfircs the falvation of
his Soul. Nor are thofe who hear the word with
the oppofite temper of vanity and haughtinefs,
really the better, bi-t rather the worfe for it ; and
fo much the farther from the kingdom of heaven.
And it is obfervablc, that this fcornful, difdainful,
felf- flattering humour, is generally tound in thofr,
who have very little right to claim any fuch fuprri-
oritj
with Mecknefs. 29
ority over others — Receive with meeknejs^ there- Serm.
fore, the. ingrafted word, .wherever, and from jj^
whomfoever, you hear it : Be willing to be in-
ftru(n:ed, and admonifhed of your duty, by any
one *, and more particularly by thofe whofe fpe-
. cial olBce it is to preach the word ^ " left (to ufe
"'the words of the wifeft of Men ; left ) thou
" mourn at the laft ; and fay. How have I ha-
" ted inftrucflioo, and my heart defpifed reproof I
" And have not obeyed the voice of my teach-
" ers ; nor inclined mihe ear to them that inftruc-
" ted me ! I was almoft in all evil in the midft
*' of the congregation and aiTembly ! "
However, do not imagine, my Brethren,
that we are for lording it over God*s heritage ;
and would put out your eyes^ that you may fee
with ours -, or rather follow us blindfold. No :
ic v/ere extravagant pride and infolence in us, to
defire this, and falfe humility in you to comply
with fuch a defire. But this brings me to the
next particular mentioned.
4. When we hear the Gofpel preached by
fallible men, we fhould do it with due caution^
in oppofition to that excefTive meekneis, or rather
ftuped tamenefs*, and unmanly fervility, which
difpofet people to fwallow down every thing
which they hear from the Pulpit^ right or wrongs
There is a wide difference betwixt that vain,
carping and contradiftious humour, which I liavc
been
JO On Receiving the IVcrd
Ser?v^. ^^^ rpeaking of above, and the too caf/ credulU
II. fy here intended ; betwixt the fpirit of cavilling,
and pertly finding fault with almofl every thing,
and the dulnefs of implicit believing. It is the
rational and chriftian part, to fleer betwixt thefc
extremes. Nor is it impradicable to keep the
middle way in this cafe ; to be neither too vain
and oppofite on one hand, nor too credulous and
fubmiflive on the other.
As wc arc Chriftians, the infpired fcrlptures
are our rule of fairh and condudl. Them wc
fhould ever read and hear with an implicit faith ;
fubmitting ourftlves wholly to their guidance and
diredion, after having cxercifed our bed reafon
in finding out their true fenfe and meanings
There is not, upon our own principles, any room
\t{i for obje(fling, or doubting, when we are con-
vinced, that thefc facred oracles deliver fuch or
fuch a do<f^rine *, or require us to do fuch or fuch
a thing. Bccaufe " it lu impofTible for God to
" lie ; ** to teach us faldiood for truth ; or to in-
join upon us the performance of any thing which
ought not to be done. But too maay teachers,
exclufively of thofe in the well-known church,
which gives herfelf the courteous tide of infalli-
ble^ have approached very near to the fame info-
Icnce and arrogance \ putting themfelves almoft,
if not altogetl)er, upon the fame footing with
Mofes and the Prbpbets^ Chrift and the Apoftlu.
Yea, I wifh they had not in cffeft affunicd to
with Meehiefs.
r
themrdves an higher feat, and greater authority, Serm«
than they allovv to Mofes and to Chrlfi^ as tho' Yi.
the feppWUfr-were above his Lord, and the fervant ^--jvtt'
greater than his Mailer. For why elfe, m ih^jr^
name of God ! do they cfirparage the holy fcrip- "
tures, by reprefenting them as an infufficient rule
of faith, and te ft of orthodoxy? Why do they
pra(5lically deny them to be the only flandard and
touchftonc of Chriftian verity, by cramming us
with their Creeds^ and fuch like trumpery^ Why
is all this lumber of Confeflions and Formularies^
laid upon us ? a load which we are not able tu
hear ; and, which fome others would not per^
haps have been, had they not been originally dc^
figned for creatures of burthen ? Why elfe arc wc
told by many, that befides believing the oracles
of God, we muft, before wc can be orthodox^
believe their oracles ? oracles as uncertain as the
old Delphian ; or any others which the Pagan
Fathers confulted with gaping ftupidity, and fot-
tidi amazement ? Why elfe, do many of our
Pulpit-Performers demand at leaft as great a dd-
ference to be paid to their harrangues and dogma's.
as to the facred writings, given confcfTedly by
infpiration of God ? In fine, why elfe do they not
preach Chrift Jefus the Lord, and thcmfelves on-
ly fervant s for Jefus* fake ? — But however affum-
ing any of the clergy may be -, yet furely thofc
who hear them fliould not be fo cxcefTively tame
aod fervi!c,> as to receive what they advance,
without
3 2 On Receiving the Pt^ord
Serm. without letting it pafsthro' their undcrdandings j
II. without feeing it to be conformable cith^j^to rea-
«-«-v~-' Ton or fcriptiif^^isijyo both. Poflibly the word
rm^ ingrafted by them^^||^ not bc^word of God,
which is able to fave the foul \ but merely the
word of man, and contrary to found doflrine ;
and fo have a greater tendency to poifun and de-
bauch, to midead and dcftroy, the foul, dun to
heal and fave it.
Nor is this an incredible fuppofition, when wc
refie(5l what abfurd, what inhuman, what blaf-
phemous notions, have, from age to age, been
ventilated for the great truths, and mod impor-
tant dodrincs of the Gofpel, by the miniftersof
it : Notions, to which we may apply what our
Saviour fays of falfe teachers, that they arc
" wolves in fheep's cloathing ; " Notions which
worry and perplex the flock of Chrift \ notions
which lead men to deflroy the bodies and lives of
their neighbours •, but have no tenddncy to benefit
/ their fouls •, notions which under the fair pre-
tence of exalting the grace, and promoting the
honor of God, are really fubvcrfive of both,
In fhort, fince there is too much reafon to
think, that fome lye in wait to deceive, and wil-
fully millcad others, for the fake of carrying on
their own worldly and ambitious dcfigns j and
fince the wifcft and mod upright men, arc yet
fallible, Chriftians ought to be cautious and cir-
cumfpc(fl in their hearing, and not blindly to fol-
low their fpiritual guides in any thing. And
with Meehiefs. 33
And the caution which I am now recommend- SeRM,
ing; is fo far from being inconfiftent with that H.
meeknejs^ with which wc ^it^t to receive tfie^ln-
grafted word, that it is pejlarily included in it.
From a regard'' 'and re^roce to the word of
God, We are obliged to take heed what we hear
and receive from men 5 left we fhould be led
aftray, either by thofe who may have an intereft
in deceiving us ; or by thofe who, thro' corhmon
human frailty, hiay run into error themfclves,and
endeavour to lead others after them. The very
fame humility and meeknefs with which, wi
ought to receive the truths of God's wotd, re-
quire us to be upon our guard againft the errorl
and delufion^ of defigning oi" miftakcn men •, Icfl,
with them, we fhould corrupt the wordy by mix-
ing with it what is foreign and heterogeneous and
contrary thereto : By which means we may come
a^ length to have another Gofpcl, fov^^ry cifferent
from the old, that we cannot apply to it the
words of the apoftle, that // is not another ; be-
caufe it is a fyftem of religion, in the general
frame, contexture, and tendency of it, eflenti^ily
ind- fundamentally different from that promulga-
ted to the world by Chrift and his apoflles. And
is there hot now evidently in the world, another
Gofpel, in this fenfe ? a Religion, which, tho' it
bears the name oiChrifliany does not in reality re-
fenible true primitive Chriftianity, fo much as it
docs ancient Pagamftru\ From whence fprang
D thefe"
34 ^^ Receiving the Word
ShRa:. ^^^^ amazing corruptions, but from incautioui
jl. creduliry, and blind fabmifllon to the clergy ?
<— V- — ' But to concludc^is head : If we would re-
ceive the word with due mceknefs •, and with that
reverence to the Author and finijljsr of our faith^
which becomes Chriftians •, we are always to
make a wide difference betwixt the fcriptures of
truth, and the doctrines and explanations of falli-
ble men. That which God has really revealed,
cannot miflead us •, the worSs of men may. In
reverence to the former, we ought to exercifc
caution with regard to tlie latter •, and with the
noble Biveans^ to fearch the fcriptures dailyj
whether thofc things which aitf preached to ut
arc conformable to them, or not. And
though any man fliduld preach to us another
doctrine, we ought to rejecl it with difdain ; and
this, for the fame reafon that we ought to re-
ceive the word and meflage of God with mcek-
nefs and reverence. Yea, '* if an Angel fromHet-
** ven lliould j^reach unto us another Gofpej,**
not I, but the Apoftlc fays, '' let him be accur-
fed.** Turn not afidc upon one hand, to vain
jangling^ and oppo/ition of fcience falfely fo called \
turn not afide, upon the other hand, to flavi/li
fubmiffion, and papal (lupidity. Be men \ be
Chridians ; be protclTantj. Ufe the underhand-
ings whicli God has given you, in fetking hil
will. Reverence the Revelation which he hai
favoured you with : Excrcilc your reafon, and
the
with Meeknefs, \ %%
f«c liberty you enjoy, in karnlng the truth, and Serm.
your Duty from it. Make \.\(c of all proper hdps \i^
in order to gain a right underHatiding of this re- v— /— -<
velation •, but fubmit you rfelves blindly to n^nt j
left they fhould *'^ teach for doctrines the com-
mandments of Men/' And if y^u think I do not
now fpeak to you the words of truth and fober-
nefs^ pay no n^ard to it, '^
5' To
♦ The followinf pa/Tage^, from s Sermon of the exceWent y
Archbilhop Sharps, agaiiift CreeJs of human compc- )
fition 'y and the vanity and arrogance of thofc who impofc
thtm, is tho't not improper to hare a place here.
" ALL Chriftians, (fay$ he,) agree that we muft beBelievers :
*' But fomc, taking Advantage of this, will not allow us t^
" have a right Faith, or to be Orthodox Chriftians, uclefg
" we come up to all thofe Notions and Propofitiotis which
*Mhey efteem Articles of Faiih. One would think there-
" fore that fome Rule ought to be given us, by which wa
" might meafure the Sufficiency of our Faith, or by which
** we might know when we have believed all that is necef-
" fary ; that fo vre might not be under the Tyraany of fbch
" Uuirpersupon our Confciences, as would be always im-
" pofmg on our Faith, till at laft they came to make us
«' fA'allow ImpcfTibilitis; foh Divine Revelation. And Uyck
"• a Rule, methinks, our Saviour hath here given us. His
" Commiilion to iha Apoftles is, Go into all the World, nnd
*' f'CAch the Go/pel unto every Creature ; and he adds, Wbt-
" fotver believeth JhnJlhe faved. Believeth ? believeth what ?
•' Why certainly the Gofpel that he fpoke of before : Who-
« l^>ever believeth the Gofpel, and is baptized, fhall be
*' Uved ; that muft be his Meaning. \i is the Gofpel therc-
" fore that we mull believe ; and to the believing of
" that alone, without any more the Promifes of" Salvation
" arc made. But wha: is this Gc^frc: > Why, it is plainly
** that Dcdlrine which Jefus Clirii.l himfelf taught, ajij
" which the Apoftles from him pr-.achcd to the World, and
« which was all in th«ir JTimes put into Writing, and
" which if all fully contained in ttofc Books that wc have
3 6 Ori Receiving the Word
Sfrm. 5- ^^ ^^^^ the Word with rnfiknefSy may
II. moreover comprehend the hearing k with
-^/ — ' patience, and an afF^-<5lionate ffigard, altho'
notl-.ing -new fhoiild be offered ijpo<i the fubjecl
treated of ^ in* contradidinflioh tx) that vain
curiofity, and uile love of novelty^ which is to be
found in perfons ' who have itching ears. The
^J defign of Chridianity is not fo much to plcafe
^IS oiir fancies, and to gratify our curiofity, i> bet-
ter our minds and fave our fouls : Tho' there is
a
•* at this Day in our Hands, whicli wc call the Kfio-TeJIa-
•' r^cnt. ThisGofpcl then is the Rule of our Faiih, Everr
" Do^rine that i?thcTe delivered wp muft belicv'e ; But ai
" f»r anyDoftrine that is not there delivered, r;or can be dc-
*' duccd from thence, we are not bound to believe that as an
'^ Article of Fai;h let it come never fo well recommended
'* by thcAuthority of Popes or their Councils, nay, or back'd
. " with theCrcdit of Miracles wrought fur the Attcfta'ion of
" )t. This, 1 fay, is our Rule of Faith :. That Rule, which
' OUR Church prefcribes :o us as" well as the Holy Scrip-
*' tures ; And Biissm es Gop wl do to strictly
" KFEP TO IT. So long US we do fo, it is im[x;ffib!c
•' but \vc mull be not only a true Church, but alio a right
" and a iound Church. We cannot indee:^ upon thcfc
" Principles, admit oi abundance of Poin(s, which our
" Neighbours lav fo much VVeii^hi upon, as to make all
" iiiofc that deny them to be Inhdels and Hereticks. Wc
" do not believe the Inf-tllibiliiy of the Church, nor \\\c
•• Supremacy of the Church of Rtiie, nor Traniubliami-
" ition, n'lf Purgatory, nor Invocation of Stints, rior twen-
*' «y other fuch Arriclcs, which they make recoflary lo Sal-
•' vatioM. And the Reafdii is, bevaufe wc find rono of
'* ihofc Things in the G^f; el, as it is contained in iheHoly
*• Srript ires, which we arc fiire would have been there, if
• " God had made it our J)uty to have believM them. But
** wc believe all that the Goffjel tcacheth, and make ufc
* *' likewife of all the Mcai^ that are | odibJc to undcriland
** :t it) its true S«:nfe ; And this we arc lure is«all thacCbriR
'* hath required of us, aj i^ihe i^uii;; J» q\ Bciicving.
with Meekiujs, 37
a great deal therein, which may contribute to the SrRM.
former, as-well as every thing needful to the lat, \\^
ter. The things cf which the Gofpel treacs are. ^-—v- — '
tfiings wbieb Jngels deftre to hok into i Nor is
one defire gratified, till new ones arife, there bet-
ing place and fcope given, in this difpeniation of
the grace of Gad, for alternate inquiry,' and'^"
pleafin^ admiration, 'till time fhall be no more-
And if we are dcfirous to hear Something new^-
for our improvement as reafonable creatures j if
we are defirous hereof, for our edification as
Chriilians ; if we want that this glorious light
ihould beam upon us with a fuller ray ; if we are
defirous to know more of the perfcdions of the
great Father of our fpirits ; if to underftand more
of the my fiery of our redemption ^ if we want
to be taught more perfectly the way that leads to
eternal life, that we may walk therein without de
viating • in fine, if we would fain *' comprehend
with all laints, what is the heighth and depth, the
length and breadth, and would know tlie love o(
Chri(t which paffeth knowledge, that we may be
filled with all the fulnefs of God 5 '' if this is our
defire, if this our ambition, our ambition is then
truly noble and divine. Such a love of novelty^
fuchakind ofcuriofuy, oughtcertainlyto.be
promoted and countenanced, rather than difcour-
aged • For a man that ix truly wife, never thinks
he is wife enough j and one truly good, is always
fcnfible that be ought to be better.
D 2 But
38 On Receiving the Word
SeRiM. ^" ^ ^^» ^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ ^^"^» y°" ^*"^ ^° "^^^^
jl things that are ;/^w, merely for the fake of no'Vtl-
ty i if your dcfire to know more of God, doeg
notarife from a defirc to love him better, and
ferve him more acceptably •, if your dcfire to
Know more o\ your Redeemer^ is not accompanied
-with a (lefire to live more to HiWy who has died-
for you i if you want to be more acquainted .
with Chriftianity, confidcrcd only as a fciencc, or
the iiibjecl of fpeculation,not as it is a do^rine hc-
(ordifig ta Godlinef^ ; in fine, if you wantonly to
have your fancies plcafed, and not the falvation
of your fouls promoted -, this furely is a curiofity
that i$ unworthy a Chriftian. And the hearing of
Noiels and Romances, would turn as much to the
account of perfons of this vain, trifling humour,.
a« all the Sermons that have been, and fhall be
preached, from the fall of Mam to the fall of
Anilchiift : I mean, unlefs fuch people fhould
happen to be convinced by them, of the folly
and abfurdity of hearing merely with this view ;
3nd be brought to reflect more ferioudy upon the
things "Mhicb belong (0 ibdr peace.
TniREarefome perfons mightily difgufted,
iftlicy hear a difcourfe preached Tifecondimt ;
tho* perhaps years after i\\^fir[i •, and which was
io wholly out of their minjs, that they would
not hu'c known it to be the fame, but for one or
two fcaicnccs, or fome one particular word or
phra^. Now frorr^ what docs this dilguft arife ?
From
with Mceknefs. 39
From afinccrc dcfirc to be edified, as Chrll^ians ? SeRM.
or only from an airecfidon for new things ? from H.
trifling curiofity ? Is this an indication, that per-
fons hear the word with a proper temper ? Or
does it betray an unbecoming levity and capri-
cioufnefs of humour ? Or does it proceed from a
jcaloufy that the Preacher does not labour and
toil enough for his reward ? from a fear that .he
will not fpend and he fpent foon enough ? I am
pretty fure it dots not ufually proceed from any
thing that is good and laudable, and which fuch
pcrfons would not be afhamed honeftly to eonfcfs*
Our Saviour's- difcourfcs often bore a very
near refemblance one to the other. The Apoftles
did not always preach new dodrines ; nor yet cx»
prefs the old in different language. Yea, they;
profcfTedly deliver the fame things over again 5
altho' the perfons to whom they wrote and prea-
ched, already knew them^ and were eftabliped in
thefe truths. And in fine, when our Lord was
inftru(5ting his Apoftles in their minifterial office,
he tells them, that " every fcribc which is inftruc-
*• ted unto the kingdom of heaven, is liice unto &
" man which is an houfholder, which bringeth
" out of his treafurc things new and old.'*
Can it theo be looked upon as blame-worthy,
in thofc who labour i?: the word and dc^rine^
that they do not always bring forth things that
are new ? The doflrines of the gofpel are, in a
fcnfe, always new to thofc who have a proper
D 4 relifla
/^o On Receiving the Wo7^d
^>^rM. r^Iini for the heavenly Mnrtna, Docs the fame
jj food which wc have often fatisfit^ ourfelves upon
^y^ hcr.'tnfore/difguft us when wc are hungry ? Do
we loath the wine when we arc thirfty, becaufc
we have often ^tti-\ it giving its c^hur in the glajs^
and moving if Jelf aright ? You may perhaps think
thdc'fimilitu'des too' grofs. HdWever there is a
real and true analogy, betwixt the cravings of the
foal, and thofe of the body : The fiac!re Chrif-
tian, tar from naufeating the mod familiar
doftrines of the Gofpcl, iiow often Ibcver he has
heard them, efteems them as his n-ccflaryand
daily food, without which, his f ;ul would Ian-
guiiTi, pine aw.iy, and be in a manner fami'Tied.
It is his meat and his drink to heuTy as well as to
do the will of bis Father which is in heaven :.
Nor is the repetition thereof in his ear, more
jrkfome to him, than the continued pracTice of it
in his life.
• If fo be then, wc know the grace of God in
truth; if we have taftc i and feen that the Lord
is gracious ; if wc truly hunger and third after
rightcoufncfs ; thefc old doctrines and command-
ments, will be ever new and grateful to u^. The
fruit of that tree of lacred, unforbidden know-
* !:ich God has planted upon earth, will
be always fwect to out tafle v yea, Jweeter than
'honey &nd the honey -comb. The Gofncl in it?
Vrcated fimplicity, unadorned with the bloflbms
-.. . fk)'.vcr« of rhetorick, \^ like the tf$roflift,
ruer
witB .Meeknefs. 4^
mentioned in the apocalypfe, — a tree which bareSgj^j^^^
«*: twelve manner of fruit •, and the leaves where- n^
** of were for the healing of the nations/* Of
t*his we may freely, est, and live forever.,
-lam not endeavouring toexcufc the lazy. and
flQthruly7j^/?/^^rJ,, who takes not due care to feed
thtpck of Chrift'.with J<:no w ledge and under-
(landing *, to caufe it to lie down in green faftures^
and lead it befide the ftill waters. Bat yec it is
an ill fympton, wheiV people are out of humour,
becaufe they are foirietim^ entertained with an
i?ld difcourfe. Nor ought they to^cxpe^t more
of their Minifters than their health and ftrcngth
will allow them to perform. And You know
who obferved lo;ig fince, that " much ftudy is a
^' wearinefs to the fleflii."
6-. The admonition we. are conlidering, re-
quires us to hear the word with candor and im-
partiality ^ in oppofition to perfonal prejudices,
and the fpirit of party. The prejudices, and the
bigotry here intended, have a prodigious and un-
accountable influence upon the bulk of mankind ;
and greatly impede the progrefs, the falutary ten-
dency, and glorious defign of Chriftianity. Nor
can we fay with our Saviour upon another oc-
tafion, that " from tiie beginning ic was not fo."
Thefe things of old gave rife to the violent op-
pofition of the Jews to our Lord, and his Gof-
pel. . His parentage was a great ftumbling-block
4 CO
^2 0?t Recewi?jg the JVoi'd
to many." Is not thii the Carpenter^ s f on ? The
place o\ his ufual abode, was another. " Can any
good thing come out of Nazantb .?" His not be-
ing Cf)u tenanced by the PharifeeSy the orthodox
folks of that day, was a third chje^ion. " Have
»* any of tht Pharifees believed on him? *' Thus
did perfonal prejudice, fadion and party fpirir,
reign in the days of our Saviour ; and obftrucfl
the progrefs of his religion -, all which thingi arc
directly contrary to that m'ecknefsand candour,
with which we ought to hear the word. The
fame fpirit, the fame bigotry difcovered itfelf,
more or lefs, even amongll Chriftians, during the
apoflolick age : Of which frequent notice is taken
in the new Teffamcnt. «S/. Paul in particular
fpcaks of this faflious fpirit, as a proof of their
being carnal j and as what prevented their pro-
fiting by the word preached. " I have fed you
*Vwith milk, and not with meat ; fays he, for
** hitherto yc were not able to bear it j neither
*' yet now are ye able — For whereas there is a-
" mong you envying and ft rife and divifions,
*' are ye not carnal ? — For while one fakh, I
*' am of Pauly and another, 1 am of Afolloi^
•' are yc not carnal ? *' The iniifting under par-
ticular men, as heads and leaders ; and ftrenouily
oppofing other teachers at all adventures, was,
you fee, an error into which Chriftians fell in
very early times : and one quire repugnant to
that candor and cathQlicifm, which the Apoftles
«n-
with Mechiefs. 43
endeavoured to propagate amongfl: their converts. Serm.
And this illiberal, pernicious and antichriRian U,
(pirit of party has defrended from age to age,mau-
gre all the pains which wife and good men have
ufed to fupprefs it. Nor would you believe me^,
if I faid there was not a great deal of it to be fecn
amongfl: us at this Day. A perfon under the
influence and dominion of this fpirit, cannot pof-
fibly hear the truth as he ought to do. He will
often rcje<5l the truth, becaufc it is fpoken by %
perfon of another fiift or denomination. He will
cavil at thofe things which 'he wou'd admire and
applaud, and get good by, Were they delivered
by one of his own fuie^ his own^party ; by one,
againfl: whom he had not conceived a flrong pre-
judice. Such a Man is alfo prepared to receive
almoft any thing for good dodl;rinc, however ab-
iurd and pernicious, from the mouth of one
whom he thinks well of, as being of his own fed ;
cfpecially if he has a great pcrfonal regard and
ft'iendfhip for him.
Now if wc would hear the word with due fim-
plicity and mccknefs, it belioves us, as far as
poflible to dcvfft ourfclves of every prejudice.
We fliould lay our minds open to the impreflTions
of truth and rcalon ; not rtfpe^ing ferfons^ nor
fuffcring ourfclves to be carried away with blind
zeal for a party. Whenever we go to hear, wc
fhould do it with a mind prepared to rcceirc
whatever may be conformable to reafon, and th^
holy
44 On Receiving the TVord
Serm. ^oly fcriptures, vrithout regard to names, perfoni,*
11. and parcy-difFerences. And it is to be hoped,
that one who hears with this candid, and ingenur
ous temper, being truly defiroui of improve-
ment, will fcarcc ever be Jent empty aicay ; or
return without benefit. That mud be a worfe
Sermon than ever I have heard, (tho* i will not
add, than ever I have preached) from which fomc
good might not accrue to the meek and inipartial
■ hearer. I'hc temper which I am now recommend-
ing, hkt the iublcd hand of Midas^ turns every
thing into gold ; even had and hrajs. It has the
happy power of makiiig a good ufe and improve-
ment of almoft any thing ; not excepting the
Vfood^ hay and liubbU^ which are the fuperftruc-
ture raifed by fome unfkilful builders, upon the
foundation of the gcfpcl ; inftead of building
goU^ Jilver Sind preciaus Jlonss.
7. Christians fhould hear the word, with
felf application ; as oppofcd to the common
humour of applying things to their neighbours.
The primary and great end of hearing the Gof-
gel, is the improving of our o-zvn minds in know-
ledge and virtue ; that our own fouls may b'e fa-
vcd thereby. There are, however, fome who
overlook this end *, almoft forgetting that they
Jiave any fouls to be faved ; and very carefully
obferving whatever is applicable to the cafe of
others. When any particular vice is ftruck at,
inftead
mth Meeknejs. 45
ififtead of afking their own hearts, how Far they Serm*
arc chargeable therewith, they immediately fix JJ,
upon one and <j»her as the perfons to whom this
belongs •, tho* perhaps they are far more guilty ^*^
themfelves. Strange abfurdity ! that people will
fo readily fee a mote in their brother's eye, and
yet cannot, or rather will not, perceive the
beam that is in their own. " Thou hypocrite,
" firfl cafl out the beam out of thine own eye j
'' and then (halt thou fee clearly to caft the mote
*' out of thy brother's eye ". Before we apply
things to our neighbours, we iKould think of our
own Sins, which are perhaps, greater j and take
the portion thatfalleth to us. How abfurd is it
for him that commits facriledge^ to fix his eye
on him thsit fieals ? for him that commits ^idul-
tery^ to keep in view him that offends, compara-
tively in a lefs atrocious way ? for him that/<?tir-
ith not God^ to caft a ccnforious look on him that
rcgardeth not r^an ? When we hear the word
preached, our b'ufinefs is at honn^ with our Own
•hearts and coniciences •, and we fhall probably
find employment enough there^ without wander-
ing thus unfcafonably abroad. We fliould behold
our own face and moral features,in theintelleflual
mirrour which is held up before us v in order to
fee our own fpots and blemifhes, and to wipe a-
way the llains which deform us. We do not
hear the word as we ought to do, unlefs we thus
bring it home j:q our felves \ and aim at correct-
ing
46 0?2 Receiving the JVord
ing what wc find amifs in our tempers and mtn*
ncrs, upon a careful infpcdiiion into our own
hearts. The contrary humour of applying what
is faid, to our neighbours, is owing to pride and
felf- confidence : It proceeds from a fpirit of ccn-
forioufncrs, uncharity and arrogance \ and lo is
the very reverie of that niecknefs and humility,
with which we ought to receive the ingrafted
word. And indeed what good can we expe(fl
from hearing, unlefs we make the proper appli-
cation to our-felves, inftead of hearing only for
9thcrs ?
Lastly ; and to fum up all in one word :
We fhould hear with a fingle view to our being
edified as Chriftiani -, and that we may, at length
receive that which is the great end of the gofpel,
and of our faith in it, the Salvation of our Souls.
Whenever we go to hear, we fhould ferioufly re-
fled with ourfelves what is the grand fcope and
defign of Chriftianity, that fo wc may hear with ft
temper and difpofition correfponding thereto.
This is the fum of all that lias been laid above up-
on the fubjc(5l ; the refult and conclufion of this
whole matter. Now we cannot but know, that
tliis gofpcl of the kingdom, which is, from time
to time, preached to us, is a difpenfation of the
grace of God to a guilty loft: world ; a revelation
of hi^ mercy to us by his Son, confidered as finful
perifhing creatures, juftly liable to wrath and de*
Uruftion \ a difcorery of God's kind intentions
towards
with Meekmfs* 47
towards us in general •, and more particularly, of SeRM.
the method which his infinite wifdom has pitched Jl,
upon, and ordained, for our reftoration to his
fevour, to true wifdonn, holinefs and happinefs ;
the end of all being the falvation of our fouls.
This is the manifcfV fcope and aim of the
Chriftian revelation : And while we keep this in
view, wc can hardly fail of perceiving how, and
with what temper this divine mefTage ought to be
received. The nature of the thing will fcarcc
permit one that attends to it, to be at any lofs in
the prefent cafe. While we confider the Majefty
of that God who is fpeaking to us in his word,
and our own finfulnei-s and unworthinefs ; while
we confider the fubjed matter of this revelation,
and the glorious Dignity of that Perfon who, for
us men and for our falvation, came down from
heaven \ while we confider the glory and happi-
nefs to which wc are called and invited by the
gofpel, and the deftruction threatned to thofc
who obftiaately " rejed the counfel of God
" againft themfclves \* in fine, while we con-
fider that our immortal fouls are at ftake, and
are either to be faved or loft, according to the
reception which we give to this heavenly mefTage ;
while we confider thefe things, we cannot but
know, that it becomes us to hear it with diligence,
and the greateft care ; with ferioufnefs and gravity ;
with all meeknefs and humility *, with caution
and circumfpcction, with affeftion and love -, witk
candor.
4-8 On Receiving the JVord^ ^c.
SeRM. candor, fairriefs and impartiality ; with a defire
II. to inform and better out .tiinds ; and, in h^t^
with an earneft defire, chat the end of it may be
Bnfvvered in the falvation of our fouls. This is
plainly the manner, this the way, this the temper
and difpofitioh, with which we ought to hear
and receive the ingrafted word. And if we re-
fccive it thus, it will by God's bleffihg, be effec-
tual to the end and purpofc for which it is preach-
ed. If not, we fhall in the language of fcripture^
** receive the grace of God in vain. "
But there is fomething previoudy requifite in
order to our receiving the word in the manner
defcribed, which is, that we renounce all our
grofs and fc-nfual lufts ; thofe vidous habits which
the light of nature condemns; which darken and
pervert our underftandings •, and make us difrelifh
the pure truths and do6lrines, as well as the du-
ties of the gofpel. We are to " lay apart all fi}-
ihinefs and iuperfluicy of naughtinefs, " before wc
can receive the ingrafted word in fuch a manner
as is neceflary to the falvation of our fouls. But of
this in the ne^r difcourfe •, concluding the prefent
with the words of the apoflle — *' They received
" not the love of the truth that they might be
" faved. And for this caufe, God fhall fend
" them ftrong delufion, that they fhould believe
** a lye -, that they all might be damned, who
" believed not the truth, but had plcafure in un-
**'right«oufncf5. "
SERMON
49
SERMON III.
The Neceflity of renouncing Vice
in its grolTerForms, in order to
a due receiving of the Gofpel.
James I. 21, 22.
LAT apart all filthinefs and fuperjluity of naugh-
iinefs^ and receive with meeknefs the ingrafted
word^ which is able to fave your fouls. But h^
ye doers of the word^ and not hearers onh\ de-
ceiving your own f elves, .
CCT^ pleafes God, by the foolldiners <^f g
I *' preaching to fave them that believe." '"
"*• This is the principal method which He ^'
has ordained for promulgating the Gofpel a-
mongd all nations •, and handing it down from
age to age, 'till the end of the world : The way
which he has appointed for bringing back thofc
who, like Ihecp, have gone aft ray from him ♦,
that there may be one fold and one fhepherd.
E It
50 On renounchig Vice
SkrM. ^^'^^ ^" undoubted truth, that every one that ral-
III. Icth aright on the name of the Lorl, Hull be
/^-— V-— ' favcd, in whatever age, in whatever region of
the world, his lot is call : " But (in the language
" of the Apofllc) how flull they call on Him,
" on wh>)ni t!K7 have not believed ? And how
" fhall they brlieve in Hiin, of whom tliey have
" nrjt heird ? And how fhali t!^.ey hear without
" a preacher ? — So then, faith cometh by hear-
" incT ; and hearing by the word of God."
l^his is that word, that ingrafted word, which is
alk to jave cur jouls \ and which, laying apart
all JUthinefs and fuperfiuity of naughtinefsy wc
fhuuld rccehe loilh meekncfs,
I HAVE already taken occafion from this paf-
fage of fcripture, to fhow the indifpenfable duty
lying upon all Chriftians in gcncr*il to be hearers
of the word.
I HAVE moreover fhown, with vfh^X. meshnefs
the g'-fpcl ouglic to be heard and received by all,
from a confideration of the nature and defign
cf it ; it being the doctrine of our falvation by
Jcfus Chriil: •, the word brouglit from heaven to
cirth, to be ingrafted into our hearts, that we
n^i;;!u have our /m/ unto holinefs \ and the end,
cverlaflip.g life.
I NOW proceed as was propofed in the third
place,
/;/ its grojfcr Forms ^ &"€. 5 1
rHIRDL2\ To fliow thtneceffily of ahan- Serm.
dotting our grofs and fenfual lufts, thofe vices and m.
evil habits which even the light of nature con- ' / — '
deinns, in order to our receiving the Gofpel with
due meeknefs •, and in fuch a manner as is re-
quifite in order to our falvation. This is the
natural import and connexion of the apoftles
words — Lay apart all filthinefs^ and fuperfluity cf
naughtincfs ; AND receive with meeknefs^ i^c.
[" All filthinefs."] The word denotes the more
fordid a'ud brutal vices ; particularly thole fina
which in the language of fcripture, go under the
name of undeannefs -, and fiefoly lujls, which are
faid to war againft the Joul. [" Superfluity of
*' naughtinefs, " ] The redundance and abound-
ing of iniquity ; the grofs^ palpable violations of
the law of nature -, thofe fiagrant and enormous
fins, for which we could have no chke^ no ex-
cufe, altho' Chriil had never come, and fpoken
to the world. The renouncing of thefe heinous
immoralities, is, I fuppofe, what the Apoflil- in-
tends by laying apart all filthinefs^ and fuperfiuity
of naughtinefs. And this we are admonilhed to
do, in order to our receiving the word with
meeknefs ; it being impofnble for men wholly
under the dominion of fenfual lufts, to give tha:
cordial reception to the Gofpel, which is here in-
tended •, and which is ncceffary in order to its
anfwering the defign of it, in the falvation of
their fouls.
E 2 But
q 2 On 7'e?20tmci?7O' Vice
C r^ T> ^,j^ Birr according to this interpretation, fome will
III. P^rhips aflc, *' whether we do not mike the
*^-v^ — -> Apoflle guilty of thi<; abfurJity and inconfidency ;
jicjnely^ of fuppofing, that vicioufi men muft bc-
become virtuous and holy, in order to their re-
ceiving the g-'^'fnirl •, whcre..s this is the very end
which the Gv'>r^)el aiiiis at ? 1 low can we attain
to h jlinefs but by th.- f^ofprl ? by receiving the
word ? Ani yrt, according tp the above inter-
pretation, wc cannot receive t!ie word, till we are
afbually become holy ? or 'til we have laid apart
all filth! ::rfs ai:d fupcrfiuity of naughlinefs \ which
amounts to the fame tl^.ing ? Here is a manifeft
circle ".
I Axsv/ER, That the Apoflle, by layir.g apart
all fihhincfsy Sec. cannot be here fuppofjd to
mean any thing more tlian a. partial reformation
of mind and manners -, fuch a one as does not
come up to our idea of cvan^Jical holinefs ; but
which is, at the fame time, a (Icp tovards it ; as
it prepares and quaiiaes a pcrfon for receiving
the word as he oug!~.t to do ; as it renders him a
proper fubjc(5l for the gofpel to woik upon.
And if we underhand him thus, it will wholly
remove all appearance of ii.confiilency. For cer-
tainly we mav fuppofe a vicious man reformed
in fome confidcrable meafure ; and v^t deflitutc
cf that true principle of pietv an.; holinefs, which
it is tl^c (^efign of the Gofpel to beget in us.
But in order to fct this matter in as clear a light
as
in its g^ojfer FormSy &^c. 5 ;
as I can, I would premife two or three things Sfrm.
more particularly^ as follows. HI.
I. There is a real and nianifeft difference be-
twixt a perfon, who is only tree from thofe grofs
pollutions of the world •, from that great depra-
vity of mind and manners, intended by 2. fuper-
fluity of nanghtinejs^ and a thorough Chtilli.^n •,
one who is already made meet for, and entitled
to eternal life. If it may be faid of the former,
that he is " not far from the kingdom of God i"
the latter is adlually in it, and a loyal fubjcd of
it. If one of them is not intirely under the do-
minion of fin •, the other is a fervant cf rightc-
oufnefs. If one is in fome meafure delivered from
the habirs and praflice of vice ; the other has
the pofitive principles and habits of virtue. If
one has in part, " put off the old man with his
deeds, which is corrupt according to deceitful
lulls " ; the other has " put on the new mian,
which after God is created in rig;hteoufnefs and
true holinefs. If onj is not wholly fubjeded to
tiie dcvil, " the fpirit that workcth in the ci^il-
dren of difobedience " ; t\\t other has a divine
nature implanted in him, being " renewed in the
li^int of his mdnd '*. In fine, there is plainly a
di.iinftion ro be made, betwixt one who has only
fo much fenf- of religion and virtue, as to make
hi;Ti abn-a.nfram thofe heinous.imimoraliti.s which
the light of nature condemns •, and one who is,
E 3 in
54- On renouncing Vice
SpR^f. 5i^ ^'"^c fcnfe offcripturc, a righteous good man,
jj[^ *' bringing forth good things out of the good
trcafiirc of his he-art. "
2. The Gofpcl is the great means which God
has appc/intcd for the raifing of men to that new,
fpiritual and divine life, which conflitutes the
Lhrijlian ihara5ier. It is efpccially in this dif-
penfation of grace, that we have the things that
"pertain to godlintrs ". Hereby, and herein,
aregiventoiis "great and precious promifes,
that by them we may be made partakers of a di-
vine nature,havir.g [ before ] efcaped the corrup-
tions that are in the world thro' luft. **
3. TriAT t>.e Gofpel may have this happy
cfFccl upon us, it is nccelTary that it fhould be
* h*cartily embraced •, that it fhould be received in
ineehiefs. If it is not r-ceived at all, it can have
no fuch inPiUc nee upon us •, nor indeed can it,
unlets it is received with that temper of mind,
which our Saviour and tlie Apodlcs always re-
commend to us.
These things being premifcd, whoever at^-
t.nds to the thin?:, will eafily fee that a perfon
who runs to every rxcefs of riot and dt-bauchery ;
one wlio ccmmits iniquity with greedinefs ; and
lays no rcftraints upon himfelf •, that has no fear
of Gcd before his eyes \ nor any awakened fenfe
of
/;; its grojfer Fo?^n:s^ M^c. 5 5
of religion ; that fuch a perfon, I fay, is not in. Spr^j..
a prejent capacity for receiving the Gcfpcl, m.
in the manner it isneceflary it Ihould be received, ' — v — '
in order to its being to him " the power of God
unto falvation ". There is a certain preparation,
or previous qualification for entertaining this hea-
venly do'ftrine, of which he is dcflicute. Perfons^
who are all imnierfed in fenfuality and vice -, thofe
in whofe mortal b xiies fin reigns triumphant ;
and whofe very " mind and confcience is deftled,"
muft be reformed in fome degree^ and brought to
more fober reflecflion, before they either will, or
can in the nature of the thing, give fijch a meek
and cordial reception to the ingrafted word, as is
requifite in order to their being faved by it.
There is a ftrong antipathy in a man who is
under the government of pride and fenfual luftsj
to the do6lrines and precepts of the Gofpel : So
that he cannot in a.moment, bring himfelf to a
proper temper of mind to receive ir, tho' he w^erc
defirous of it. He has that carnal mind which is
mmity as^ainfi God ; which is not fuhje5l to his
laws^ neither indeed can he : So that they who
are thus in the flejh^ are not in an immediate ca-
pacity to pleaje God, by receiving his word with
mecknefs •, much lefs, by the excrciie of thofe
virtues and graces which good men are the fub-
j-ds of. They whofe great concern it is, *' to
make provifion for the fiefli, to fulfil the lulls
tliereof " \ they that do not '' hunger and third
E 4 after
56 On re?ioiinctng Vice
after righteoufnefs " •, they that have no concern
for the falvation of their fouls ; but give full fcope
to their vicious inclinations ; thefe perfons, con-
tinuing fuch, cannot, by any means, be fuppo-
fed to be in a cond'tion for receiving the word ;
th-y cannot receive it with that ferioufnefs, with
that humility and meeknefs, with that love to the
trurfi, with that hearty defire of improvement,
with which it is to be received by all, ' in order
to it's grand defign being anfwered upon them.
No i 'cil their confciences are alarmed -, *til they
fte in fome meafure the folly and danger of fin,
*til thc7 find fome inclination to turn from it to
God, that they may obtain his favour, and life e-
ternal, they will not truly receive the Gofpel into
their heans ; tho' they may hear it with their
ears from day to day.
Vice, v/hcn indulged to a great degree, puts
a ftrong, tho' fometimes an unpcrceived, unfuf-
pecfted, byafs upon the human mind ; fo that
fome peifons who imagine they hear with all due
candor, impartiality and meeknefs, are very far
from it in reality •, hearing with great prejudice,
and a fecret difgud, which prevents it's taking
root in their hearts, and producing the good
fruits of righteoufnefs. Any one that pleafcs,
nuy fee jhac this is a fentiment which runs thro*
the fcripturcs, and which often occurs in the
jKW-te(lament more particularly. Thus our Sa-
viour fays, that ^ he that docth evil, hatcth the
light.
in its grojjer Fonns^ ^c, 57
light, and will not come to the light,- left his Serm.
deeds which are evil fhould be reproved ". Ac- m
cordingly he applies to the vicious and hardened v.— -^ 1
Jezz'3 of his time, the emphaiical words of the
prophet — " In them, fnys he, is fulfilled the
prophecy of Ifaiab] which fv.di, By hearing ye
JJjall hear and jloall not underftand \ and jccing^
ye fljall pe^ and fljall not perceive. For this 'peo-
flea's heart is waxed grojs ; ' and their ears are
dull of hearing ; and their eyes they have clcfed^
leji at any time they Jhvuld fee with their eyes^
and hear with their ears \ and Jhould midcrfand
with their heart ♦, and fhould he converted^ and 1
Jhould heal them. " Conformably hereto the A-
poftle fpeaks of fome, to whom thegofpel is hid-,
and tells us who they are. '^ If our gofpcl be
hid, it is hid to them that are loft •, in whom the
god of this world has blinded the eyes of them
that believe not, left the light of the glorious Gof-
pel — fhould fhine unto them." ^o in the
well-known parable of the fower, the go:d feed is
reprefented as taking effecft, and producing fruit
to purpofe, only v/hen it fell upon good ground^
adapted and prepared to receive it \i. e. accor-
ding to our Lord's own explanation, the word
fown takes effe(5l only in thofe who receive it into
an- honed and good heart. 'There is a degree of
integrity, honefty and uprightnefs, previoufty
neceflary, in order to a cordial and eft'cdual re-
ceiving of the gofpcl, according to our Saviour's
doiftrine.
5<S 0?i 7^C7iQiindng Vice
doclrlne. Thofe wlio are deflitutc of this, being
wholly funk into vice and voluptuotTne-fs, will
not liear to purpofe. Thofe who have that tem-
p(^r which our Saviour cxprefT^s by nn hrmfl and,
good hearty he elfewhcre flrylts bis fJjecp -, antece-
dently to their actually believing in him ; and
affiires us that they will hear his voice and folhw
htm. And in conformity to this principle, we are
to underhand thofe words of our Lord, which fo
often occur in his difcourfcs. — " He that hath
cars to hear, let him hear." Let thofe hear, who
have in them the principles of recovery •, thofe
who are not fo loft to all fenfe of religion and
virtue, as to be paft it.
It is not much to be wondered at, if refolved
hardened tranfgreftbrs •, if thofe who commit in-
quity with greedinef?, rolling it as a fweet morfcl
under their tongue ; if thofe who are given up to
^\filthinefs and [uperfiuity of naugbtijiejs \ it is not
to be wondered at, if fuch abandoned finners often
hear the gofpel of the kingdom, without receiving
any confiderablc benefit froni it. They are not at
prefenr, proper matter for it to work upon. 1 ho*
they hear i\\v. truth, andthedoctrinelof falvation,
they cannot receive it in the love of it, having
fleafure only in tinrightecufnefs. They are ftupi-
fied with the poifonous draught, which they have
taken. AivJ i[ie word is no fooner heard perhaps,
than it is forgotten, ajd fnatchcd away from them,
as it were by fomc eril, malicious fpirit j fnatched
away.
r
i
tn
its grojfer Forms ^ &^c» 59
away, like the feed which fell by the way fide. Sfrm.
The mind that is carnalized, and depraved to m.
the degree that is here intended, is moreover a • — v — '
very unfit habitation for the Holy Spirit of God ;
without whofe blefTcd influences, the {tt^ fown in
our hearts, does never take root and bring forth
froit. In the language of the book of IVifdom^
" Froward thoughts fcparate from God — [And]
" Into a malicious foul wifdom fnall not enter ;
'* nor dwell in the body that is {ubje6l unto fin :
'' For the Holy Spirit of difcipline will flee de-
" celt ; and remove from thoughts that are with-
" out undcrftanding •, and will not abide when
" unrighteoufnefs cometh in." That pure di-
vine truth, which we do not love ; that Spirit of
grace and difcipline, which we quench and grieve,
by the habitual indulgence of our fenfual appetites,
cannot but be unwelcome guefbs to our fouls,
thusdcbafed and imbruted. This " fuperfliiity
'' of naughtinef?, and the fpirit that worketh in
" the children of difobedience ;" throw a thick
veil over the human m/ind ; and unite in darken-
ing and blinding it. They extinguifh every di-
vine ray, 'ere it can pierce the gloom ; and put
out that candle of the Lord, which was originally
lighted up in our hearts to guide us to Him.
They deftroy our natural fenfe and feeling of
moral and religious truths ; and nrpnniajAy all the &i
mental faculties, however bright before. They
hebetate and blunt all the noble powers of the
foul •,
\&UfS^
071 renctindng Vica
f )ul •, and rendt-r it f nfufcepti :»ble of good im-
prcfllons. Thty ddlroy all relifli of iiitellcdual
and fjMrirual enjoyments •, and take away the
heart froiTi God *, from his word and inlitutions ;
and even from thofe tilings which the light of
niture (Irongly recommends to the love and
pracfbice of all men, who have not thus abiifrd
and perverted their miiids. And when the light
that is in us, is thus turned into darknefs, thro*
long, invctrate habits of finning againft the li^hr,
*' how great is that darknefs !**
Is it very llrange, if fucli abandoned Tinners
do not receive with meeknels the ingrafted wor^i ?
Is it to be wondered ar, \i pcrlons fo intirely un-
der the dominion (jt flcflily lufls, and the God of
this world -, perfons thus loll to all {tr\^c of virtue
and religion ; fhnuld have their minds blinded to
fuch a degree, that tlu^ G 'f[>el is hid from tliem »
not being able to (hine thro' 1 uch a thick, gr(»fs
and impure ir.edinm^ inro their heaits, '' to give
them the light of the knowleclge of the gl^ry of
God, in the face of Jtius C i.rill ?'* No funly j
if they do not admit, but Lx::!ude this heavenly
light, it is what might be expeclai. F(/r :t leems
ncccilary in the nature (»: the t''in?^ tli.ir m.n
fhould be awakened to f m^.; ' ;
that they fhould be broug'^t tc i»i)t'r iiikv.uin j
and dcvefl themfelves, i' l" ' ' • • '• .*
groffer habits of fin and \ >(v, ^ ::
word's being ingrafted into their licirts (o c^^-
in its grojfer Foa?ts^ &'c. 6 1
tually, as to transform them*into the divine like- Serm.
nefs ; and caufe them to bring forth fruit unto m^
God. The light of reafon mull be perjnitted to ^ — ^.^— '
Ihine into our hearts, before tlie light of revelation
can be cordially received ; the voice of natural
confcience mud be heard, and lifttned to, before
the voice- of God in his word will be duly regar- •
ded : We cannot be chrijlians in temper and
condud, without being firft Jober and moral in
our lives, without firft laying apart all fihhinefs
and fuperfluity of naughtinejs^ and abftaining fi om
grufs vice and diffjlutenefs. This is a neceflary
preparation for, and the firft ftep towards, our
becoming Chriftians in reality •, and being " holy
in all manner of convtrfation and godlinefs.'*
It is not only thole which are peculiarly ter-
med fenfual lufls, that ftupify the confciences of
men, and indifpofe them for receiving the truth
in the love of it. All other kinds of grofs im-
moral indulgence, have a fimilar tendency to ren-
der the heart callous ; and infenfible to the im-
prelTions of evangelical truth and righteoufnds.
All kinds of vice in general, are contrary to that
religion, which is pure and undejiled before God.
So that thofe who give the reins to any known
and heinous fin ; thofe who fell thevifelves to do
any kind of iitiquity^ cannot relifh the truth as it
is in Jefus. Both the do(5lrines and duties of
Chriftianity, muft needs be difguflful to their
depraved and vitiated tafte : And it is at lead
morally.
6 2 0?t renounc'uig Vice
morally, if not naturally impofTiblc, tlut they
fhould receive the Gofpcl into their hearts, 'till
fuch time as they renounce all grofs immoralities ;
'till they ccme to be tho'tful and fcrious \ and are
heartily dcfirous to know " the things that be-
long to their peace."
No man can fincerely and cordially embrace
the gofpcl, while he remains hardened in fin \
and is unconcerned about his falvation. I'hc re-
ceiving of it with mceknefs, prefuppofes that a
perfon's conlcience is awakened j that he is fenfi-
ble of his fins •, that he is forry for them, willing
to forfake them, and to become the fervant of
God and righteoufnefs. 'Tis prepoftcroudy ab-
furd to think that any one can properly receive
the ingrafted word -, or " believe to the faving of
his foul," before he is brought to fuch a temper
of mind •, or while he pcrfeveres in his tranf-
greffions, with a feared confcience, having no
fear of God before their Eyes.
It will be objefted, perhaps, that the profefied
dcfign of ChriiVumity, is to reform a vicious, de-
generate world : And if fo, the mofb corrupt and
abandoned men, cannot be fuppofed to be got
beyond the reach of it \ fince God undoubtedly
accommodates at) means to the ends propofed in
them. Wliercas in what has been laid above,
the Gofpel is fuppofed to be futed and accommo-
dated only tothcfbate of thofe who are the kafl
iorrufted and dif raved ; while thofc who are the
in its groffer Fonns^ &"€. 63
moft abandoned, and who confequently moft need Serai.
to be reclaimed from the error of their ways, are m.
not in a capacity of receiving it in fucb a manner
as is necelTary to that end. If cnly thofe who
have already put away all filihinefs and fuperfluity
of naughtviefs^ can receive the word with meek-
nefs. fo as to be fived by it •, the Gofpel mud be
quite ufclefs to a great, if not the grcateft part of
mankind j and it is to no purpofe to preach it to
them.
I ANSWER, that to fay a man is not in a pre-
fent temper and difpofition to give that humble
and meek reception to the gofpel, which is
neceffary in order to his being faved by it at laft -,
is quite a different thing from frying, that he can
receive no good at all from it ; and tliat it mud
prove a ufelefs^ dead letter to him. Thcfe things
are very difl:in6i: \ nor docs the latter follow from
the former, by natural dedu(flion and inference.
For altho' fome pcrfons, by reafon of their great
wickednefs, and hardnefs of heart, are not in aa
immediate and prefent capacity to embrace the
Gofpel of Chrift,with that fmcerity and humility,
which is neceffary before the dcfign of it can be
fully anfwcred upon them -, yet by hearing it from
time to time, they may, with the ordinary bkfs-
ing of Go ', and that grace of His, which always
accompanies the word preached, be awakened
out of their fatal dumber •, and in the language of
icripture, pricked in thsir hearts^ fo as to be fe-
rioufly
6 4 On re?ioti7:ct77g Vice
S !•• P. M . ricuHy ir.quifiti ve, "jchnt thtyfucU do to he faved ?
JTJ, In other words,thc golpcl may take hold of their
^— --.^ — ^ iiearrs to fuch a degree, as to convince them of
the folly and danger of going on in their tranf-
grefTions ; and make them heartily follicitous to
fiyfrom the wrath to come i and to obtain eternal
Jife. And when perfons are thus (lopped in their
mad career -, brought to think upon their ways ;
and made fcrioaQy inquifitive about their falva-
tion ; then it is, that they have the temper of
mind with which thcGofp^l ought to be received,
tho' they had it not before.
What I intend, is this. That altho' no man
who is groOy vicious and immoral •, that is fecure
and unconcerned ; that fins with an high hand ;
boldly tranfgrelTing the laws of God,and violating
the law of his mind ; that tho' no fuch perfon, I
fay, is now in a temper (;f mind for receiving the
g(;fpel a; it muft needs be received,before the full
defign of it can be anfwered upon him ; yet he
may pofilbly hear it {o as to bring him to
that temper. In which rcfpe(5i, the Word preach-
ed niay be beneficial to the worfl of men, as
well as to the lefs abandoned : For furely it is fo
to all whom it rouzes from their lethargy in fin,
to fobcr thoughtfulnefs and reflc(^ioii -, producing
iome reformation in them, tho* at prefent very
imperfeffl. Our Saviour pronounces blejfedy not
only thcfe who are already filled with rightccuf-
nefs •, bjt alfo tliofe who hunger and thirft after
iC
A
in its gr offer Forms ^ ^c. 65
it; becaufe they are in a hopeful and probable SeRM.
way to be filled. By fuch, the gofpel will be re- HI.
ceived in a manner futable to the dcfign of it :
They are prepared to have it actually ingrafted
into their hearts ; and it is to be hoped, that He
who has thus, by his word and fpirit, begun a
good work in them, will perfect it unto the day of
Chrifi,
Thus is the gofpel calculated for the good of
all. Thofe whe> are not depraved to a great dc- ^
gree, will of courfe receive it, and be^ruly good rn^yC
and virtuous by it. And even the more vicious
and abandoned part of mankind, may be awaken-
ed and influenced by it to fuch a degree as (hall
make them defirous of relinquifhing their former
fins, and turning their feet into God's teflimoniesi
that fo they may obtain the pardon and falvation
offered to Tinners in it. And thofe who are
brought to this temper of mind, will then of
courfe receive the fpiritual and incorruptable feed
into their heart?, as into good ground^ into a
foil prepared for, and adapted to it. In confe-
quence of which they will " bring forth fruit,
fome thirty, fome fixty, and lome an hundred
fold. "
But alas 1 it was never fuppofed that the
gofpel, however /w^aVw/, would prove effe^ual
in the event, for the reformation and falvation of
all thofe to whom it is preached. Many of thofe
to whom it was preached of old,as ic is to us now,
F ic
66 On re7iomicb'io' Vice
c'i
It d:d not profit^ not being mixed with faith in
them that heard it. There are fome in every
age, fo refolutely fet and determined in the ways
of folly and vice,, given over to (uch Ji I t hi nefs, to
fuch a fuperfluity of naugbtinefsy that they will
not give any heed or credit to this divine mef-
fage. '' This is the condemnation, that light is
*' come into the v^orld •, and many love dark-
" ncfs better than light, becaufe their deeds are
*' fo evil. *' Our Saviour had/occafion to tell
many, to whom he himfclf preached, that they
" v/ould not come unto him that they might
*' have life." And when he commaTided his
Apodles to " go into all the world, and preach
*' the gofpel to every creature •," he intimated to
them, that they fliould bear thefe glad tidings in
vain^ and to no purpofe, as to many. For he
then told them what fhould be the portion of
thofe who believed not, as well as of thofe who
believed, and gave heed to their doflrine. The
gofpel is publiflicd amongfl: all nations, not up-
on a prelumption that all who hear it, will meek-
ly receive it, and be faved : But it is preached
for a witnejs^ for a teftimony to all ; and they are
all left to regard, or difrcgard it, as they think
proper •, a day being appointed of God, in which
he will judge the world in righteoufnefs. Some
have thofe ingenuous principles remaining ia
them, which render them fit fuhjcds for the gof-
pel to operate upon •, and thefc being Chrifl's
A'^ep^
in its gr offer Forms ^ &^c. 6;
Jheep^ and given to him of the Father, will, ac- Serm,
cordingly hear his voice, and receive his gofpel m.
with meeknefs ; and he will give unto them eternal
life. Others being incurable^ and pafi recovery ;
( I mean in that way and method which the wif-
dom of God has fixed upon for the reclaiming
and faving of Tinners ) they will accordingly (lop
their ears againft this joyful found \. and clofc
their eyes againft the heavenly light \ they will
not heartily embrace the Gofpel ; and fo will at
length receive the end of their wickednefs, and
incredulity, as others will the end of their faith.
Thus were the Apoftles, tho' they preached
the gofpel of peace K.o all indifferently^ '' the fa-
vour of life unto life " only k.q fome \ being to
ethers^ " the favour of death unto death " : And
thus it will probably be, from generation to ge-
neration, to the end of the world : Only we have
great reafon to conclude, from the oracles of
God, that a glorious ftate of things will hereafter
take place upon earth, and be of long continuance ;
a (late, wherein the unrighteous, and unbelieving
(hall bear but a very fmall and inconfiderable pro-
portion to thfe true fervants of God, and our
Lord Jefus Chrift. — Life and death^ bleffing^
and curjtng^ are^ from one age to another, fet.
before All in general ; " and whether they
like is given to them ". Nor will the perfe<5lions
of God, be lefs confpicuous in the perdition of
ungodly men, who obey not the truth, but obey
F 2 ua-
68 On renounci?ig Vice
SerM. unnglitpoufnefs -, than in the falvation of thofc,
III. who having laid apart all filthinefs and fuptrfiuity
of naughtinefs, receive with meeknefs the ingraf-
ted word ; and bring forth the fruits thereof with
patience.
Let me conclude this difcourfe, with a few
fhort relledions.
I. This fu bjefl fuggefls to us the wifdom of
applying ourfelves to the concerns of religion,
and another world, in youth, before the habits of
fin and vice, are become ftrong and inveterate.
Perfons ufually wax worfe and worfe, 'til fuch
time as they begin to reform and grow better :
The farther we proceed in the paths of iniquity,
by fo much more difficult will it be for us to re-
treat ; to receive the gofpcl of the kingdom into
our hearts -, and to become Chrifi's true difci-
'pies ; his loyal fubjeds. Such is the dcceitfulnefs
of fin,that it f^eals upon us unawares, and hardens
us by infenfible degrees •, 'til in procefs of time,
it takes a. deep and full poflrfTion of us, fo that
it is as eafy for " the JEthiofian to change his
fiifi^ or \.\\t Leopard his fpots,'' as for us, thus
accuflomed to do evil^ to learn to do well. So
that thofe who do not in early life, remember
their Creator, and receive the Gofpel of theirRe-
decmer with meeknefs ; may come at length to
receive it with mockery and derifion j *' crucifying
to
in its grojfer Formsy &^c. 69
to themfelves the Son of God afredi, and put- Serm,
ting him to an open Ihame : *' To whom there m,
remaineth no more facrifice for fin." And thus
the gofpel which was ordained unto life^ proves
only the favour of death unto death.
But,
2. Let us not conclude that we are true Chrif-
tians, and intitled to the falvation of the goipel,
merely becaufe we are not flagrantly immoral
and vicious in our lives. ' For akho' we may, in
the fenfe of theApoftle, have laid apart all filthi-
nefs^ and fuperfiuity of naught inefs % we may yet
fall fhort of that holinefs^ without which no man
(hall fee the- Lord. The gofpel has not anfwered
it'sdefign upon us, 'til we have fo received the
truth into our hearts, as to be fan^iified by it ;
*til we are " transformed by the renewing of our
minds, and the wafhing of the HolyGholV' into
the image of God and of our Saviour. This is the
great end propofed in the gofpel ; in order where-
unto, it is to be meekly hearkened to from time
to time •, it muft be ingrafted into our hearts j
and incorporated, if I may fo exprefs it, with our
very fouls and natures — But I fhall have oc-
cafion to fpeak more upon this point hereafter,
in another difcourfe.
3. Suffer me to warn all v/ho allow them-
felves in any vicious practices, efpecially in fuch
fins as the light of their own confciences con-
F 3 demns.
70 On renouncing Vice
Serm. demns, immediately to renounce them -, that fo
III. they may be in a capacity for duly receiving the
doclrines of the gofpel ; and may bring forth the
fruits of righteoufnefs unto life eternal. Give
heed to the divine admonition in my text ; and
lay apart all filthinejs and fuperfluity of naught i-
nefs : for then, and not 'til then, will you re-
ceive with meeknefs the ingrafted word^ which is-
able to ja^ve your fouls. Do not endeavour, I
befeech you, to ftifle the convictions of your own
minds and conf:iences, which may perhaps tell
^omc of you, that you are particularly concerned
in this counfel. If your own hearts condemn you,
as habitual tranfgreflbrs of God's commandments,
remember that " He is greater than our hearts,
and knoweth all things i" and that He " novr
commandeth all men every where to repent, for
that he hath appointed a day, wherein he will
judge the world in righteoufnefs." Wc arc apt
to be partial to ourfelves \ to make too favoura-
ble allowances •, to make the bed of every thing,
on our own fide. But if, notwithftanding this
natural propenfity to think and judge favourably
of ourfelves, our own hearts ftill mifgive and
condemn us ; how much more furely wili that
God condemn us,who is greater than our hearts ?
WMio is no refpe(5lor of perfons ^. and whofe judg-
ment is always according to truth ?
Be affured, that while you are knowingly and
habitually guilty of any immoral pradiccs, you
arc
in its gr offer Forms ^ ^c. T^
are not only out of the kingdom of God, hut Serm,
far from it -, fo far that you are not even^ in a HI.
capacity,at prtrfent^to receive that gofpel, which is v-
defigned to bring you into it •, and to make you
the heirs of falvation. Let us therefore lay our
hands upon our hearts, and afk ourfclves as in
the prefence of God, who will judge us another
day, whether we have laid afar t all filthinefs and
fuperfluity of naughtinefs ? Or whether we hve in
known, wilful Sin ? Is there no kind of profane-
nefs or difTolutenefs ; no kind of falHiood or un<
righteoufn.fs ; nofm again ft God, our neighbour
or ourfelves, evidently contrary to the light and
law of nature, which we indulge ourfelves in ?
What anfwer do your confciences make ? Guilty^
or not guilty ? If you are not guilty, it may be
rationably concluded,either that y oil have already
received the ingrafted word into your hearts, or
that you will foon do fo ; and gradually « cleanfe
yourfelves from all filthinefs of fleflj and fpirit ;
perf elding holinefs in the fear of God." There is a
good foundation laid, when perfons are become
Jfober and moral in their lives ; tho' they may
ftill fall fliort of that religion which is pure and un-
defiled before God and the Father. But if you
ftill live \n filthinefs, and xht fuperfluity of naugh-
tinefs ; you come (hort, not only of the Chriftian
chara£ier^ but even that of a fober, virtuous
Pagan. Nor is it to be wondered at, if perfons
of this flagitious charader, who daily fin againft
F 4 the
7 2 0?i renouncing Vke^ &^c.
Serm. the light of natural confcience, fhould continue
II f. inimical in their hearts, to the doctrines of the
gofpcl ; 'til, having filled up the meafure of their
iniquities, they receive the due reward of their
deeds. However, the cafe even of fuch profli-
gate finners, (if there are any fuch amongft us) is
not quite dcfperatc •, tho' the longer they per-
feverc in their evil courfes, abufing the goodnefs
and patience of God, which is defigned to lead
them to repentance •, the lefs ground there will be
to hope for their reformation. " Wherefore as
'* the Holy Ghoft faith, to day, if ye will hear
' his voice, harden not your hearts -, as in the
** day of provocation — when your fathers temp-
*' ted me — Wherefore I was grieved with that
*' generation -, and faid, they do always err in
*' their heart ; and they have not known my
*' ways. So I fware in my wrath, they fhall
*' not enter into my reft.- Take heed, brethren,
*' left there be in any of you an evil heart of un-
*' belief in departing from the living God. But
" exhort one another daily while it is called, To
" Day ; left any of you be hardened thro* the
3- 7- " deceitfidnefs offtnr
SERMON
SERMON IV,
73
Upon the Neceflity of yielding a
praEiical Obedience to the Gofpel,
in order to obtaininor the Salvation
prop
ofed in it.
James I. 2r, 22.
hAY apart all filthinefs and fuperjluity of naugh-
tinefs^ and receive with meeknefs the ingrafted
wordy which is able to fave your fouls. But bs
ye doers of the word^ and not hearers only^ de-
ceiving your own felves,
IT is unqueftionably the duty of all Chriftlans SERAi.
to be hearers of the word read and preached jy,
in the affemblies of the faints ; this being a
divine inftitution : As was fhown in thtfirfi dif-
courfe upon this fubjecl.
In the next^ the duty of receiving the word
with meeknefs was more particularly confidered,
and bforced.
It
74 0?i the Necejfity of obeying
It was fhown in the laft difcourfe, That in
order to our receiving the word in a futable man-
riv-r, {o that the defign of it may be anfwered up-
on us, it is necefTary that we lay apart all fiUhi-
nc[s and jiipcrjluity of naughlinefs \ or in other
words, that we renounce vice and immorality in
:i\\ lis grojfer f onus. It is not poflfible for thofe
who are regardkfs even of natural rd\g\on •, and
who arc 2:iven over to work all uncleannefs with
grecdincfs ; it is not pofTible for fuch abandoned
finncrs, continuing fuch, to receive the revealed
word of God with a proper temper of mind.
They are not in a prefcnt capacity for giving a
due reception to the Gufpel ofCTirifl:. ' There is
fomewhat previoufly requifite, or preparatory,
thereto ; which is, that tliey relinquish their bru-
tal luft.s and all grofs immoralities •, and arc
heartily defirous of being taught the way that
leads to eternal life : Then, and not before, are
perfons capable of giving that cordial and meek
reception to the ingrafted word, which is required
in order to the falvation of their fouls.
This is a fhort view of the fubjec^ ib far as it
has been treated already : And the next thing in
courfe, according to the method propofed, is to
fhow,
FOURTHLr, The necefTity oUheying ihcL
Gofpel, in order to our receiving the falvation of
it. The apoftlc tells us, that the ingrafted word is
able
the TVord. 75
Me to fave our fouls : But immediately fubjoins, Serm,
" But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers \\\
" onl)\ deceiving your own felves." q. d. " God ^
having revealed to you the way of life and falva-
tion, it behoves you carefully to hearken to this
revelation, and meekly to receive it. But I warn
you againft fo fatal an error as this, that barely
hearing the Gofpel of the kingdom, without o-
beying it, will intitle you to that falvation which
is revealed to finners therein. You will groHy
and fatally delude yourfelves, if you exped fal-
vation upon any other terms, than thofe of con-
forming your tempers and manners to the rules
of life contained in this revelation, which you
hear, and profefs to receive.
It will be apparent to every one who carefully
looks into this Epiftle, that St. James, the author
of it, defignedly combates fome libertine notions
of Chriftianity, which, began in thofe early times,
to creep into the church •, which notions when-
ever, and wherever they prevail, mufl: in a great
meafure, fruftrate the defign of the Gofpel ;
which is to make men truly good and virtuous
here, in order to their being happy hereafter.
It is indeed ftrange that all men, even upon
the moft flight and curfory view of Chriftianity,
as it is delivered to us in the new teftament, lliould
not immediately fee that it is a do5irine according
to Godlinefs^ not a doflrine of Ucentioufnefs ♦, that
the great aim of it, is to make us fear and love
God,
76 On the Necejfity of obeying
Si'. RM God, and work righteoufnefs ; that it promifes
IV. eternal life only to xlvz pure in heart, and holy in
^^ — -v-*-^ all manner of converfation ; and that it is fo far
from giving wicked men, continuing fuch, any
hopes of pardon and faivation, that it affures rhem
of the contrary, in the mart: plain, (Irong and
emphatical terms. It is very ft range that every
one /hoiild nut at once {ct that this is the real
truth of the cafe ; without attempting to evade
tl-ke matter by any kind of diftin(ftions or refinc-
rrcnts. But alas ! f j devoted are ion>e men to
their luQs, and at the fame fo K th to renounce
all the hopes of a bleffed immortality, that they
will endeavour to make a life of fin and difobedi-
ence, no infuperabic obftru6tion or bar, in the
way of their faivation ; fpeaking peace to thcm-
felves while they arc walking in the paths of de-
f^ru(fl:ion, and the moft certain, inevitable ruin.
Thus it is that fomc perfons in every age and
country, fince the Gofpel has been promulgated
to the world, have hctn deceiving their ownfeives ;
by imagining, that the being doers of the wordy
v/as not re.illy neceffary in order to the obtaining
cf God's favour, and future blcfiednefs.
Now 1 am to Ihow in general in this di^courfe^
the indifpenlable ncccffiry of obeying tlie Gofpel
in order to (Uir being intitled to the faivation of
it : leaving fome ot the moft common miftakes
and errors concerning this important point, to be
more particularly confidcrcd and refuted hereafter.
And
the Word. 77
And that all fuch notions in general, are vain and Sfrm.
delufory •, that the Gofpcl mull: be obeyed^ as iv.
well as heard and received •, ^nd that no incor-
rigible fjnner fh-ili inherit the kingdom of God ;
appears, in thtfirsf place.
From a general view of Chriftianity, as con-
taining precepts and commandments^ given for the
regulating of our conduB^ as well as principles
and dc Brines^ for the regulating of our fmlh.
Whoever looks into the new teftament, will find
thert a fyftem of religion, which confids partly
of dodrinal truths to be aflented to, ai.d partly
of commands, prefcribing to us what is to be
done ; the former being ufually called the Ore-
denda^ the latter, the Agenda of religion. It is
not more plain and evident, that Chriftianity con-
tains certain principles that are to be believed ;
principles refpecling the nature and moral govern-
ment of God -, the perfonand offices of our Saviour
Jefus Chrift ; a future exiftence ; the refurredion
of the body •, a judgment to come •, and a (late
of rewards and punifhments to fucceed ; ( this is
not more evident, I fay) than that the fame reli-
gion contains a great variety of precepts,injunclions
and prohibitions, delivered to us as to creatures
that have a part to a5f ; precepts refpecling our
behaviour towards God, towards our Redeemer,
towards our neighbour ; and fome that more im-
mediately refpefl the government of ourfelves.
In other words, it is not lefs certain and obvious,
that
7 8 0?t the Necejftty of obeying
Sf^M. that the gofpel confiders us as aclive moral Crea-
IV. tures, whofe hearts and manners are to be formed
' — V — ' and regulated by the laws therein contained •, than
that it confiders us as intclledlual Creatures, who
or.ght to receive and embrace the truths that are
therein revealed to our undcrftandings. It being
evident then, from the moft curfory view of
Chriftianity, that it is not only a rule of faith^
but o\ fratlice alfj ; it is as certain, that we are
obliged to obey, it, confidered in the latter of thefc
refpeds, as that we are bound to believe it, con-
fidered in the .former. No one can fhow, that
we are more (Irongly obligated to believe what
God has revealed, than we are to do what he has
required. He is doubrlefs as juft in his com-
mands, as he is true and faithful in his words and
promifes : Nor can his Authority be more pro-
perly called in queftion in one cafe, than his vera-
city in the other. From hence it appears, that
wc are !io lefs bound to be doers of the wordy than
we are to be bearers and believers of it. All the
laws which God has given us, were given that
ihey might be obferved •, not that tiiey might be
broken. And indeed if they may be difregarded
with impunity ; I fee not why it is neccflary, that
we fhould even be believers. For it is to be re-
membred, that tho' this is one of God's com-
mandments, that we believe in him whom he hath
pnt i yet it is not more truly one of the my than
Uiis, that we love Him, and love our neighbour.
And
th& Word. 79
And why that command, by which jaith is in- Serm.
joined upon us, may not be difpenfcd with, and jy,
/et afide as being ot no confequence \ as well as
fome other commandments oi' the Gofpel, no one
can afTign a reafon. So that if we may be faved
without doing the word, I am bold to aflert we
may be faved without believing or receiving
it. God requires the latter no more plainly and
peremptorily than he does the other. And as
foon as any one will fliow how we may be intided
to falvatioji, without obedience ; I will Ihow, at
lead by fimilar, if not by the fame Arguments,
how we may be intitled thereto, without believ-
ing one fyllablc of the ChrilVian revelation, with
whatever evidence of its truth it may come to us.
We may confider, the matter in a difFcr-
cnt point of light, which will bring us to the fame
conclufion at lad. — We are the profefled difciptes
of Chrift, acknowleding him for our teacher, maf-
ter and lord. We are therefore to confider what
fort of teacher he was •, what he undertook to
inllru(ft men in in •, • order to know whether
we really come up to the characfler of hisdif-
ciples, or fall fhort of it. There have been differ-
ent kinds of teachers in the world ; and (till are.
Some inft:ru(fl in one art or fcience, fome in
another. Now our Saviour, Jelus Chrift, came
into the world, as a teacher of true religion.
He came to make known to us many divine
truths 3 thofe things that belong to our peace ;
and
8o On the Necejftty of obeyi?7g
and to inflrudl us how to ferve God in this World,
in (;rder to our being happy in his favour in the
world to come. Here his teachings and inftruc-
tions all terminate, as to the end of them. Now
a dijciple of any one, is he that learns of him that
fcience, art or bufincf*', of which he is the pro-
feflcd teacher. He that does fo, is truly and pro-
perly a difciple -, otherwife he is only a nominal
one. A perfon, in ancir^nt times, would not
have been deemed a difciple of Socrates^ while he
lived after the principles and maxims of Epicurus^
altho' he frequented the fchool of the former, and
not of the latter. Let him have called himfelf by
what name he would, others would reckon him
a difciple either of one or of the other, according
to the principles which he embibed, and the
maxims of living, which he embraced and fol-
lowed. How then, does be come up to the
character of Chrift's difciule, who docs not learn
of hin), that temper and behaviour, that art of
holy and virtuous Hving, which Chrift came to
teach *, and which is indeed the fame thing with
that pravflical obedience to the word, the necefTity
of wfiich I am now endeavouring to fliow ?
7'hofc who live and a(fl according to other rules
and maxims, than thofc of our divine mailer,
Jefus Chrift, cannot, with truth and propriety,
be (lyled his difciples and followers, any more
than an Epicurean Voluptuary could be called a
difciple of Socrates or P/^/c?.
Indeed
the Word, 8i
Indeed if the whole, or principal defign oFSkrh*
our Saviour, in taking upon himldf the character IV*
and ofHce of a teacher, had been to give us a
Creed •, or to inftru'fl us in certain religious notions
and principles, without referring them to prac-
tice \ ■ we might, in that cafe, be called his dil-
ciples, if we embraced thofc principles, however
flagitious we might be in our lives and manners.
But when we refled, that the lefTon which Chrllt
came to teach us, refpefls the regulation of our
hearts, tempers and behaviour ; that the great
aim of all his inftrudions, is to reclaim men from
thtrir evil and vicious courfes ; and to bring them
to a refL^mblance of the divine purity, goodnefs
and hoiinefi^i in order to their being happy here-
after ; when we refle6V, I fay, that Chrift's doc-
trines and inftrudions all terminate in this point,
it is m.anifc^ft that thofe who call themfelves his
difciples, without departing from iniquity, and
living as he has taught them to live, compliment:
^hemfelves with a name, which does not belong
to them ; and have no neafon to expect any
good will finally accrue to them from his media-
tion. They are deditute of the main, the moll
cffential <:haraderifl:ic, of Chriftians *, which is a
temper .and behaviour correfponding to the
maxims and precepts of Chrift's religion ; and to
that example which he has left us, thai ive nugli
fsllow hisfteps.
AcazABLY to what is here faidj we often find
G • owr
8 2 Oft the Ncccjfity of obeying
Se RM. ourSaviour reproving the inconfidency and abfur-
I\r, dity of thofc, who, while they acknowledge him
f)rtheirLord,do not walk according to his injunc-
tions. " Why call ye me, Lord^ Lord^ fays he,
and do not the things which I fay/' q. d. '* With
what propriety, with what modcfty, can yoa
own fuch a relation to me, as that of difcrplcs to
a mafter and Lord, while you do not demean
yourfelves anfwerably thereto ? While you give
no heed to my words and counfrls ; but fct them
at naught ? Either Uve according to tliefe rules
which I teach and prefcribc ; or ceafe to mock
me, and to delude yourfelves, by calling me your
Lord! *'
At another time, when ourSaviour was fpeak-
in"- of himfelf as one divinelv authorifed to draw
o •
difciples and followers after him; and accordingly
invited people to ccme unto bm, and to le^irn of
him •, this was not fo much, that they might be in-
truded in certain fpeculative truths, as that they
might learn the art of governing their tempers^
and living well. " Come unto me,fays he, — take
my yoke upon you, and learn of me \ for I am
meek and lowly in heart \ and ye Ihall find reft
unto your fouls." We here fee, that tho' by
coming to Chrift, is intended receiving him in
the character of a divine teacher ; yet this is in
order to a farther end ; which is, fubmitting to be
directed by him in the way to happinefs. There
is Tiocomtniy ox going toChrift, to any good pur-
pofc
I
the Word. 8 3
pofe, without taking his yoke upon us, and learn- Serm,
ing of him to be meek and lowly in heart, IV.
Upon the whole then, Chriftianity appears to
be a pra6lical fcience -, the art of living pioufly
and virtuouQy. The drift and fcope of our great
matter's dodlrine and preaching, was to make us
abandon our fins and lufts of every kind ; and to
form us to a refemblance of himfelf, who is the
image of theinvifihleGod, Thofewho do not learn
of him to be fincerely good, learn nothing to pur-
pofe ; and know nothing as they ought to know it.
We cannot be called his true difciples and follow-
ers, without putting on that temper and be-
haviour, which his laws and example recommend
to us, or rather injoin upon us. And if we are
not really his difciples, but are fo in name only,
certa'nly we cannot hope for falvation by him.
So that confidering the matter in this light, it is
evidently neceflary that we obey the word, as well
as hear and believe. And we do but deceive
our own f elves ^ if we expedl tobefaved upon any
cafier terms.
Rut for the farther confirmation of the point
before us, let me produce twc or three paflages
of fcripture, wherein the end of Chrift's coming
into the world, and of the gofpel difpenfation, is
more explicitly declared. Our Saviour tells us,
that he came " to call finners to repentance."
5/. Faul fays, that he " gave himlelf for us, that
he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify
G z unto
84 On the Necejftiy 'of cbeyiitg
Sfrm. unto liimfclf a peculiar people zealous of good
\\r^ works.'* The fame "apoflle tells us, that the
grace of God has appeared unro i:s, •'teaching
us that, denymg ilngodlincfs and worldly lulls,
we fhouid live foberly, ' righteoufly and' godly in
the World." 5"/! yioi'/; tells us, that'Whoib com-
tinittrthfin, is of the Devil •, and that '^* for this
piirpofe the Sen of God^'was maniftlted, that he
n.ightdedroy the works of ChcT^evil.*' And we
know, that our Lord was called Jefth^ brcaufe
he v/as to "fave his people from their finS.'*
From thcfe' and fuch-li1<:c pafTages oPfcripture, the
hecefTity of departirtglVom iniquity, arid of obey-
ing the gofpel, is manifefl. SurL^lytl'.at* cannot
be looked upon as unnecefiary, v/hich; is" thus de-
dared to be One' great end of our lidrd'-s mani-
fedation in the flem. But how is djiis'' declared
end of the goipe], and the grace of (jod appear-
ing therein, anfwc red upon us, if v;e pcrfcvere in
our evil ways, inllend of being led to repentance.?
IFwe indulge to ungodlincfs and worldly luds,
indead of denying them ? If we are zealous of
l)ad works, inftead of good ? If the works of the
Devil are prac^lifcd by ls, inRcad of being deflroy-
ed in us ? If we renriin under the dominion and
power of fin, inf^ead of being made fee from it,
tfnd [)ccoming the fTvants of righteoiifi.efs ? Can
any one imagine that the triie ir.tent and -defign of
Chrilt's g'^f^el is anfwered upon them, before
tlrey **-ceafe to do evil, and learn to do well ?"
Certainly
the Word. ' 85
Certainly no vicious, iinrightt^ons man, is what SerM,
the Gofpel is intended to make hirn : No peribn IV.
of this cl>ara(5i:er, has complied with the true and
declared defign oF this difpenfation of the grace
of God. And if not, is it not manifeftly ab-
furd to fuppofe that fuch aonej can be intitled
to.thefalvation revealed therein ? Why may not
a vicious Heathen^ v/ho never heard of the gof-
pel, be intitled to the bkllings of ir, as well as a
vicious Chriftian^ on whom it has had no efifed ?
and who is as wicked, perhaps, if not more
wicked, than he would have been, if this grace
had never appeared to, him ? Will not a profcffed
Chriftian, who has not really complied v/ith the
great defign of the gofper,any more than a Pagan^
be as certainly condemned hereafter, as if he had
been a Pagan himfelf ? It does not appear from
fcripture, that any good iliall finally refult to
thofe who hear the gofpel, but in proportion as
they are made really better by it ; having fallen
in, and concurred with the defign of God's
grace revealed to us therein.
We may confider this matter ftill in another
light •, which will farther evince the neceHTity of
obeymg the v/ord. The Golpel informs us, that
in order to our falvation, it is neceffary that we
fliould be horn again \ born of God •, horn of the
jpirit \ that we put off the old man with his deeds \
thar wQput on the nevj man ; that 1, we vjalk in
the fpirit^ and bring forth the fruits cfthefpnt ;
G 3 and
86 On the Necejffity of obeying
SfrM. 3nd the like. Now I would afk, what is the
IV. meaning of all thefe phrafes ? What is the true
import, and real amount of them ? Is it not mani-
ftflly, this, that finners muft, by the gofpel,
and the co-operation of the fpirit and grace of
God therewith, be turned from fin to righteouf-
nefs ? that their hearts which were before corrupt>
and eftranged from God, muft be purified, and
turned to him ? And that, in confcquencc hereof
they " walk in all his commandrPients and ordi-
nances blamelefs ? ** This is manifeftly that nnv
lirib, or regeneration -, that futting off the old
man with his deeds^ and putting on the new many
of which the icriptures fpeak : And the thing is
in itfelf very plain and intelligible, how great a
myjlery foevcr, either the ancient or modern
jNichodemus*s and mafters in JJraeU have made of
it. If therefore, it is necefifary that a man be
born again, in order to his falvation ; and if this
is the proper notion of regeneration ; then cer-
tainly it is necefifary to obey the gofpel, in order
to that end. For fuch a change of heart and man-
ners, as is denoted by the terms horn again^ and
hern of the fpirit^ implies and involves in it, the
obedience here intended.
I AM fenfible, thatfome pcrfons have invented
another fort o\ regeneration^ which leaves the fub-
jeft of it much as it found him, — *' to every
good work rcbrobate •, " and which a man may
experience^ without being really any better than
he
the Word. 87
he was before ; any more like to God ; any more Serm,
obfervant of his laws. Yea, I wiih. there was not IV.
reafon to fay, that that which many have taken
to be their regeneration^ and a bting filled with th^
fpirity might be more properly called a Pojfeffion \
leaving them much worfe than it found them ;
lefs careful to '' order their converfation aright-,'*
lefs juft, fober, humble and charitable, than they
were in what they called their carnal, unregenc-
ratc, unconverted (late. According to this No-
tion of regeneration, I acknowledge that a perfon
may be born again, and yet not become a doer of
the word. But the fcriptures know of no re-
generation, befides that wLich confifts in a real
change of heart and manners, from fm and un-
righteoufnefs to holinefs ; a regeneration, from
which obedience to the laws ofChriftianity is infep-
arable ; and with which, habitual finning is abfo-
lutcly inconfiftent. *^ Whofoever is born of God,
doth not commit fin,for his feed remaineth in him'j
and he cannot fin, becaufe he is born of God." So
that while we keep to this idea of regeneration*
to fay that it is necelTary we Ihould be born
again, is, in efFed to fay neither more nor lefs
than this, that it is necefiary we (hould become
holy in heart and converfation, by God's afliflance
and grace ; which is the fame thing, in other
words, with being dcers of the wordy or yielding
a practical obedience to the gofpel of Chrift. Ic
b, therefore, to be hoped that none who aflert
G 4 the
83 On the Neceffi/y of obeying
S:-. i^^vT. ^'^^ r cc-flity of the former, will. call i« quellion
;7^ the ncccfTity of the latter.
,-*-j It may be added here, that the repentnr,ce of
/Ir.ners is always fuppofed in the new tcftament,
to be an indifpenfible condition of, and a meet
qualification tor, their receiving pardon and eter-
n .1 life M c what is the proper notion or ideaof
eva. gdic;!: rpentance ? of that rept nranc^, wiih-
05Jt v/hK ^Miners canncjt be faved ? Is it only a
flafhly, 1 .peificial forrow for fin ? fiich a f^.rrow
and ct^ncniion, as is confillent with perfcwring
therein ? Surely no. It involves in it a turning
from fin, to ^^)i\ and righteoufnefs. It is the
aftiv^; principle of a new life -, a life of holinefs,
and obedience to the divine commandments. 1 he
Repentance which falls fh -rt of this ; wiiich leaves
the heart unfub^lued to God -, t'x repmtancc
which leaves a finncr as it found him ; and is not
accompanied with a reformation of mind and
manners •, is not that repentance unto Ife, which
is intended in the gofptl : It is a vain, ineffcdual
forrow •, and fcarce better than that " forrow of
the world which worketh death." Now if this, is
the proper notion of repentance •, or if repentance
implies in it, a forfaking of our pafl fins, and en-
tering upon a new courfe of hfe *, and if fucli re-
pentance is necefTary in order to falvation ; then
'certajnly die Z'^^r/;/^ of die word, wiihrut dchg
it,, cannot intitle us to eternal life. Evangelicai
fepCRtincc iSjin (liort, gofpel-cbcxiicncein its ri(^
and
the JVcrd. 89
'^\sA pincifU \ 2iX\^ wherever it is, it will bring Serm.
forth the fruits that are meet for it. So that to jy,
aflert the necelTKy of repentance, and yet to fup-
pofe vve may be favcd without obedience and
righteoufnefs, is a manifeft abfurdity and contra-
diclion.
But let us confider a little more particularly,
to whom it is that the gofpv:! itfelf promifcs eter-
nal life -, and whether thtrfe promifes are not evi-
dently reftrained and confined to ol^edient Chris-
tians ; to the doers of the w^ord^ Now the Apof-
tle tells us, that Chrif!:, '^ being made perfed be-
came the author of eternal falvation to . all them
that obey hira'^ Is there not here a plain limita-
tion of that falvation of yvhichChrifl: is the author^
to thofe who do his commandments ? Does not
the . form of exprelHon ufcd, maniftftly imply,
that fiich as do not praflically conform to the
laws ot Chrift, as well as believe and truft: in him,
ihall not finally fhare in that redemption which
he has wrought out ?. Again, our Saviour fays,
^that the righteous " fhall go away into life eter-
nal •," and that the righteous fliall fhine forth as
the fun in the kingdom of their Father." Is the
fame ever faid in fcripture, of the wicked and dif-
obeJient ? Or of ail men ih common without
any difcriminating mark? Again, our Lord likens
thofe who hear his fayings, and do tbem^ to " a
wife man that built his houfe upon a rock," whidi
would not tall. But docs he make ufe of the
fame
On the Necejjity of obeying
fame fimilitude, when he fpeaks of thofe who
hear \\\% fayings, and do them not ? Thus He tells
us, that they which " do the will of his Father
which is in heaven," fhall enter into the king-
dom of heaven hereafter. Is the fame ever faid
of thofe who perfevere in their difobedience to
God's will ? So we are told, that " to them who
by patient continuing in well-doing, feck for
glory, honor, and immortality, God will render
eternal life.** Is the fame promife made, in any
pare of the Gofpel, to thofe that perfevere in do-
ing evil ? In fhort, nothing can be more appa-
rent, than thnt the fcripture-promifes of falvation,
are uniformly reftrained and Hmited to fuch "as
obey the gofpel ; to fuch as having received tht
word w::h meeknefs " into good and honed
hearts," bring forth the fruits of righteoufuefs
with patience.
But, that no doubt may be left upon the
minds of any, with reference to fo important a
point, 1 Hull now fhow that all incorrigible fin-
ners in general, are fo far from having any title to
the falvau:n of the gofpeI,that they are excluded
herefrom, and fcntenced to future woe and mifery,
by the mod exprefs and pofuiv'e declarations of
the Gofpeliifdf. Thus the apoQIe tells us, that
" to them that are contentious an.i d > not obey
the truth, but obey unrighteoufnef , God will
render indignation and wrath •, tnbulari'jn and
anguifh upon every foul of man that dutiievi! :"
Ihat
the Word. 91
That "the wrath of God is revealed from heaven Serm.
againft all ungodlinefs and iinrighteoiifnefs of jy,
men, who hold the truth in unrighteoufnefs :'* < — v— -J
And that " the Lord Jefus Chrift fliall be reveal-
ed from heaven with his mighty Angels in
flaming fire, taking vengeance on thetn that know
not God, and that obey net the Gojpel of ourLord
Jefus Chrift ; who fiiall be punillied with an
everlafting deftrudlion.'* — Hear the expofttilatioa
and admonition of the fame Apoftle in another
of his epiftles. " Know ye not, fays he, that the
unrighteous (hall not inherit the kingdom of
God ? Be not deceived •, neither fornicators, nor
whoremongers, nor adulterers, nor thieves, nor
covetous, &c. (hall inherit the kingdom of God.'*
Has not ouf Saviour plainly told us to the flime
purpofe, that the wicked " fhall go away into
everlafting punifhment ?*' Has he not told us,that
in the judgment of the great day, he will fay
even to many who have eaten and drank in his
prejenccy " Depart from me, I know you not,
all ye that work iniquity ? " And not to multi*
ply pafTages of fcripture in fo plain a cafe, only •
call to mind the folemn words of our Saviour, in
his laft meiTage to the Churches, in the Revela-
tion of St. John^ towards the end — " I am Al-
pha and Omega, the beginning and the end — He
that overcometh fliall inherit all things. — But the
fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and
murderers, and forcerers, and idolaters, and all
liars.
92 On the Necejftty of obeying
SER>f, I'^rs, fhill have their part in the lake that biirn-
IV. cth'Airh n;r and brimllone, which is the fecond
^— ^v— -* (icMth — Blcfied are they that do his command-
ments, thar they may have right to the tree of
lite -, and miy enter in thro' the gates into the
city: For without are dogs, and whoremongers,
and murderers, an 1 idolaters, and whofoever
loveth and maketh a lye. 1 Jcfus have fent mine
Angel to telVify thcle things in the Churches. "
You now fee what the plain, exprefs, repeated
declarations of the Gofpel are ; how they limit
th.' falvation revealed in it, to them that obey the
tr;jth •, how they cut off from all hope of eternal
life, and conlgn over to future punifhment, all
t le irreclaimable workers cf iniquity. God, who
has the fole right of ordaining and fixing the
terms upon wliich his fmful creatures fhall be
received iiiiu favour again ; and enjoy the
bklTmgs of his prt fc*nce in the kingdom of Hea-
ven : God [limfclf, I fay, has declared, that the
hardened, irreclaimable tranfgrt-ffor fhall never
enter into his reft •, and that oi ly the pure in
heart fhall f.e him, and be happy ii the enjoy-
ment ot him. Nor are wc to conceive of thtfe
terms as arbitrarily fixed, by him whofe will
none can refill, whofe iiand none can ftay, and
who is not accounrabL to any one for jiis pro-
ceedings. No: We are to conceive of them as
terms that are fit and reaf enable to be impofcd
by the all-svife, and all-goou, as well as all power-
ful
the Word. 93
ful Sovereign of the world. In would have been Sfrm.
inconfiftent with his infinite wifdom, and perted ly.
gobdnefs and holinefs, to have accepted Tinners v— -v— ^
to his favour, and promifed eternal life to them^
but upon condition of their returning to Him,
and keeping his commandments.
And if we duly attend to the thing, we Ihall
fee that fjch a temper and pradlice as the Gofpel
requires of us, is necelTary not only as a condition^
but as 2i qualificatim fgr future happinefs. Altho*
this world is much better adapted to the depraved
tafte and temper of wicked men, than the king-
dom of heaven *, yet they cannot be happy even
here. God hacconftituted us in fuch a manner ;
He has given us fuch a nature, that vice is an
irrcconcileable enemy to our happin. fs ; and vir-
tue alone, friendly to it. " The way of tranf-
grefTcrsis hard : " and " the wickeii are like the
troubled fea which cannot refl:." Thus it is in this
prefent (late ; and thus it muft needs be, in any
other. A foundation mufb be laid for happinefs,
in the purity and moral rectitude of our minds.
Were a wicked man to be this day tran-
flated to heaven, with all his lufts and unholy
pafllons about him, there is nothiiig there which
would correfpond to I:is tafte and reliOi, fo as to
make him truly blefTed in the enjoyment. Could
the fo'ciety of jufl men made perfe6l P could the
fcllowfhip of holy annels, be delightful to an im-
pure, brutifh creature ? What fellowfliip hath
light with darknefs ? And what concord hath
• Chrift
94- On the Neccjftty of obeying
Chrift with Belial, or the Tons of Belial ? What
happincfs can one who is every way unlike to
God, and whofe carnal mind is enmity againft
him, have in being in his glorious prefence ? or
how is fuch a one capable of enjoying him ?
Wicked men, inllcad of expecting any felicity
from the prefence and vifion of God, might adopt
the language of the apoftatc angels, " Fartheft
from him is bed. " *
If then we are not even in a capacity for
enjoying the happinefs which the Gofpel reveals^
in the kingdom and prefence of God, while we
retain our lulls and vices, how vain and abfurd
is it to imagine we can be intitled to it ? We muft
obey the gofpel, and have our tempers conformed
to the holy maxims and precepts of Chriftianity,
before we are capable fubjecis of that felicity
which is brought to li^ht thereby. And certain-
ly it is unreafonable to fuppofe that God would
promifc this future, heavenly blifs to any, except
thofe who have the qualifications necefTary to a
participation in it. That heaven which God has
already prepared for good men, and which is re-
vealed to us in his word, is every way unluitablc
for all befides tlie good. So that wicked men
muft either not go to heaven at all, or they muft
have another prepared on purpofe for them •, and
one more accommodated to their genius and incli-
nations: Tho* when they came together there,
they
♦ ParMdi/e Loji. •
the Word. 95
they would foon turn their new heaven intoaSERM.
real hell \ and the place of their expeded blifs, ly,
would prove only the place of their torment. For
wherever the wicked are ; in whatever region, in
whatever world, they cannot but be miferable in
a greater or lefs degree. So the God of nature*
fo the all-wife governor of the world, has ordain-
ed ; and His cotinfel Jhall ftand
Upon laying together the feveral things that
have been faid above, I think it plainly appears,
that obedience to the gofpel is not only a thing
that is fittings reajonahle^ and 'very proper^ for
thofe that bdkve 5 (as fome would reprefent it)
but that it is abfolutely and indifpenfably neceffary^
In order to our obtaining eternal life ; neceflary,
both as the condition upon which God offers fal-
vation to us, and as the qualification for future
glory and happinefs. This is fo clearly, fo often, •
fo emphatically declared in the holy fcriptures,
that one need not fcruple to fay, that whofoever
is not a doer of the word, as well as a bearer, has
no more ground to exped falvation by Chrift-,
than the fallen angels ; alt ho' he took not upon
him their nature, but the feed of Abraham. It
is to imprefs thk important truth upon our minds
the more efFedually,that our blefTedSaviour has,in
fome of hisdifcourfes, introduced wicked believers^
as making their feveral excufes,and pleas for mercy
in the day of judgment-, all which he rejeds asin-
fulficient and vain. In thefe reprefentations of the
laft
9^ 0}i the Nvccjfity of cheyivg
Serm. bflday, we fee theformalifls in religion, Imeaii
IV. th.>re ivho hold the truth in unrightecufnels^
Handing before their righteous Jurigf ; we hear
them faying, " We have eaten and drank in thy
prefenCe i ^nd in thy name caft out devils -, and
thou hart: taught in our ftreets ; " and pleading,
upon this foundation^ for admittance into the
kino;dom of heaven. And at the fame time we
hear this jull:, and merciful Saviour of men, an-
fwering, " Depart from nhe^ye that work iniqui-
ty ! " So that this matter is reprefented to us in
the flrongeft light pofTible. 'And can any, after
this, hope for mercy in the day of Judgment,
tho' they indulge themfelves at prefent inimpi;ty
and vice ? They cannot, without making Chrift
a liar, and his Gofpcl a fable ! —
Wherefore to conclude : As we defire to
have a part in the refurreclion of the jufl -, as we
have any dread of falling under tlie condemnation
of the wicked -, as we have any regard to the
words of our Redeemer, to the will of our ma-
ker, to the honor .of our religion, to the falvation
of our fouls,; let us hearken to the Admonition
in the text, " Re ye doers of the word ; and not
hearers only, deceiving your ownfclves." Let
us apply ourfelves in earncH: to the regulating of
our tempers and manners ; in which attempt we
cannot but prove fuccefsful, fince it is God that
worket!) ' J with u^. It is not more fure
(hat there r: r.n ncaven, than ir is tint they who
- ■ obey
the Word. 97
ob^y not the gofpel, fhall never enter into it. Sp.EM;
It is not more certain that there is an hellj IV;
than that all the impenitent workers of iniqgity
(hall fufFer the pains i.f it. And amongft all
the Wicked, none will be fubjedled to forer
punifhrnL^nt, than the hypocritical profeffors of
religion, who pretend to know God, but in.
Works deny him •, who call Chrift: their Lord and
mailer, but difobey his comnnandments. To
fuch, the ingrafted word is i^ far from being, in
the event, the power of God unto falvation -, that
it is in fome fort, the mintftration of deaths as the
appftle terms the Law •, binding them over to
a heavier, and more inevitable punifliment.
Do you really defire the falvation of your
fouls ? Would you be indeed heirs of that glorious
inheritance which Chrift has purchafed for Tin-
ners ? Surely you do. Why then, my brethren^
be at the pains to comply with thofe terms on
which it is offered to you. Give up your pride and
coveteoufnefs ♦, give up your malice and envy,
give up all your worldly lufts. " If your right
hand offend you, cut it off ; if your right eye of-
fend you, pluck it out. For it is better to enter
into life thus, than having two hands and two
eyes to be caft into hell fire, where the worm
dietk not. The Gofpel itfcif cannot give life to
you, unlefs it is ingrafted into your hearts ; lo
that your tempers and manners are formed to a
refcmblance of the divine author of it. Let your
H faith
9 8 On the Necejftty of obey in^^ ^c.
Sfrm. fa>t^ purify your hearts, and work by love. Do
IV. your duty to Godjovc and obey yourRedcemcr*,
dountoall men as you would that they (hould do
onto you ; be fober and tempera e in all things
as thofe that drive for the maftcry : And '' hope
unto the end for the grace that (h dl be brought
unto you, at the revelation of Jcfus Chrift:, as
obedient children, not fafhioning yourfclves ac-
cording to your former lofts.'*; — I cann t cl fc
this difcourfe better than with the words imme-
diately following my text — " If any be a hearer
of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man
beholding his natural face in a glafs : For he be-
holdeth himfclf, and goeth his way, and ftraitway
forgettetli what manner of man he was. But who-
fo looketh into the perfei5t law of liberty, and
continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hear-
er, but a docT of the work, this man fhall be
bltfled in his deed.'*
SERMON
(^^
^y^->^^i^^^
m
99
SERMON V.
Of fome Miftakes concerning the
Terms of Salvation ; and particu-
larly concerningSalvation ij Grace.
J
AMES
I. 21, 22
LJT apart alljilthinefi and fuperfluity of naugh-
iincfs^ and receive with meeknefs the ingrafted
word, which is able to fave your fouls. But be
ye doers of the word, and not hearers only^ de^
ceiving your own fehes.
IN the foregoing difcourfe it was fhovvn in Ssrm.
general, that obedience to the Gofpel is in- V.
difpcnfably neceflary in order to our obtain-
ing the falvation revealed to us therein •, con-
formable to the fcope of the apodle in the latter
branch of the text : " But be ye doers of the
IVord, and not hearers only, deceiving your own
felves." But becaufe St. James here fpeaks of
thofe who only hear the word, and do ic nor, as
Receiving thcmfelves to their owa dcftruflion ; I
H z propofc
lOO
Of Salvation by Grace.
Se R M, propofe to conHder fvme of the common rriflakes
V. and dclufiQns wliich Chrilliar.s fall into, rtfpcct-
ing this important point ; and to fliow the vanity
and abfurJity of them, Icfl any of us fliould be
carried away with the error of the wicked •, and
a deceived heart fh >ul.i turn us afide.
Mankind are liable to many errors and de-
lufions, even thu' they take pains to be rightly
informed. They arc (lill more liable to err, in
th<;fc cafes where they are not cautious and wary,
but almoft indifferent whether they are deceived or
not But mod of ail are they in danger of falling
into miftakes, when they have a ftcret prejudice
againft the truth ; and are more difpofed to em-
brace the wrong fide of a queftion than rhe right,
by reafon offome wrong byafs upon their minds.
For men are not only liable to be impofed upon
and deceived by others \ but in fome cafes, they
impofe upon, and deceive their oivyif elves. And
hence it is that we are as frequently cautioned
againd felf-decepticn in fcripture, as we are ad-
monifhed to take hef d that we are not deceived
by others. This caution is never more necefiliry^
than when we are inquiring into the terms of ac-
ceptance and falvation, propofed to us in the
Gofpel ; whether we confider the inlportance of
forming a right judgment in this matter, or the
natural propenfity and inclination which there is
in us to make thole terms as cafy and agreable
to ourfclvcs as pofliblc*
All
Of Salvation by Grace. loi
All men would be Jwppy hereafter-, butSpRM,
with as' little diiBculty to themfelves as may be ; V.
as little fclf-denial •, as little labour •, as little
care to work out their falvation. This I doubt
not, is the true fource of many licentious, li-
bertine dodlrines, tending to reconcile a vicious
immoral life, with the hopes of God's favour, and
future bleffednefs ; altho' nothing can be more
repugnant to fuber reafon, and the whole current
of the Chriftian revelation Vicious men are loth
to give up their beloved lufts, and to live that
pious and holy life which the gofpel injoins upon
us. And therefore they perfwade themfelves to
believe that there is no fuch abfolute necefTity of
it as fome pretend •, and endeavour to evade the
force of all thofc arguments which are brought to
evince it. However wicked they are, they arc
not willing to think themfelves fuch perfons as the
Gofpel excludes from that life and immortality,
which are brought to light thereby, Hence it
comes to pafs, that the fcripturcs, however plain-
ly and peremptorily they fpeak as to this point,
are often tortur'd and wrefted ; and made, whe-
ther they will or no, to favour men's lulls, and
ill-grounded hopes. The mere found of a word
or phrafe, fhall ofcen carry more conviction in it,
in the apprehenfion of men who W(juld fain be
happy without being good, than in the whole cur-
rent of revelation : And drowning men, wc
know, will catch at draws. For example •, how
H 3 greedily
10 2 Of Salvation by Grace.
greedily do many perfons of licentious prac^icei
Jay hold on fuch cxprefTions as thcfc, that we
are " faved by grace ; " that we are " judified
by faith without the deeds of the law ; *' that we
muil be " found in Chrifl: not having our own
righteoufnt-fs ;" and the like ? Many vicious per-
fons think they find great ground of peace, con-
folation and hope, in fuch-like exprefTions ; and
conclude from them, that the gofpcl-covenant of
grace in Chrift Jefus, is of fuch a nature, as not
to require repentance and new obedience as the
indifpenfable condition of falvation ; but fuch as
will aJmit of the falvation of habitual finners, pro-
vided they believe in Chrid, and rely wholly up-
on his righteoufnefs. This, in general, I fuppofe,
is the error which •S/. James aims at refuting more
particular!) in the fv.Tond chapter of his epiftle :
An error whicn very caily appeared in the
church ♦, and in the fupport of which, 5/. P^«/*s
doiftiinc had been allcdgcd. And if there is any
fuch thing as a fundamental error of the judg-
me it. this is doubtlefs one. It is a miftake con-
cerning the general nature of that covenant of
grace and mercy, which is edablifhcd in Chrift^
for the refloration and falvation of finners. It is
moreover an error of fuch a fort, as naturally
tends to confirm m.*n in their wicked courfes .
finer, accv rding to titis notion, it is ncedlefs for
them to f rfake thofe courfes ; and to obey the
commandmciits of Chrift, in order to their future
hap'
Of Salvation by Grace. 103
happinefs. So that perfons who are fallen into Sfrm.
this (jelufion may fin, as it were, upon principle:; y^
at lead they may' fm, without -hai^arding their
falvation, according to their dWrt 'notion of the
terms on v/hich it is offered.
B'Jt before I proceed particularly to lay open
the vanity and abfurdity of this notion, I would
premife one thing in order to prevent mif-cori-
flrudion ; efpecially to guard againfl the charge
of cenforioufnefs and uncharity. And that is,that
how much foever any man may be miftaken in
opinion concerning the terms of falvation ; yet if
he is practically in the right, there is no doubt
but he will -be accepted of God, who confiders
our frame, and knows our weaknefs. Poflibly
many perfons, according to whofe principles
obedience to the Gofpel is not necefTary, may yet
be as truly d:ers of the word, as thofe whofe {txi-
ti nerits concerning this matter, are more confor-
mable £0 reafon and fcripture. And it is cer-
tain that'fach perfons Ihall riot be excluded from
falvation, merely on account of their erroneous
'opini.)n. It is infinitery difhonou'rable to the all-
good and perfe(5l Governor of the world, to
imagine that he has fufpended the eternal falva-
tion ot men upon any niceties of fpcculation : Or
that any one who honefirly aims- at finding the
truth, and at doing the will of his Maker, fhali be
fiivUly difcarded becaufe he fdl into fome erro-
neous opinions. He whofe heart is right with
ti 4 God;
1 04 Of Salvation hy Grace.
God ; he who feeks his will in his word, with an
uubiaflTed mind •, and he who confcicntiouQy obeys
the gofpel, can be guilty of no error for which an
infinitely good and merciful Being will condemn
hi.n.
1 ADD, that akho' fuch a fin cere inquirer afrer
the truth, (hould embrace opinions which give
countenance to vice and hbertinifm, in a naturar
and fair^con{lru6lion ; yea, altho' the fame prin-
ciples, fhould7. by being a(5l;jd upon, prove the
dcftru6tion of^L.her perfons ; yet furely he,
whofe pratfliccis not influenced by them; but is
conformable to the ftridcr maxims of piety and
virtue laid down in the Gofpel, will rrap the fruits
of righteoufnefs in the end. And altho' mod
men are not fo good as their principles oblige
them to be ; yet it. is certain that forae men arc
better : Which I take to be the cafe of mi^ny,
who place the whole of religion in faith, and dc-
pendaiKe upon the righteoulhcfs of Chrift : For
many fuch, doubtlcfs live fjbcrly and righteouQy
and godly in the world.
Indeed if perfons fall into fuch errors as are,
in their own nature, irxonfifleat witii Chnfiian
pic-ry and virtue •, thefe errors irui\ reeds br fa-
ta! •, Ixcaufe we are afTuied that no unrighteous
ptrrfon fli.dl inherit the kingdom ot God. Or if
prrf.ns tall i.ito other errors, of a Ids malignant
Na'ure ; but which do «n fafl m..k<r them Cufy in
their fin^, and rcgardkhof tli<.:r behaviour \ even
fuch
Of Salvation ,hy Grace. 105
fuch errors mud be fatal in their consequence \ tho' Se RM.
not neceflarily fo, confidered in themrelvcs. How y^
inconfiderable any error nnay be in itfclf ; it the
cfFe(5t of it is either the making a man vicious, or
keeping him fo, to him it is and mud be fatal in
the event : Tho' to others it may not prove fo ;
becaufe it may not have rhe fame efFefl upon
them. Nor, indeed, is there any fpeculative er-
ror, however great, which can exclude a good
and upright man, who obeys the laws of Chrif-
tianity, from the kingdom of heaven : Tho' it
may probably prove, in fome degree, prejudicial
to his virtue -, retard him in his progrefs towards
Chriftian perfection \ and fo prevent his obtaining
fo bright a crown of glory, at the end of his
race, as he might otherwife have done. Accord-
ingly we read of fome that build wocd^ ha)\ftub'
bky i. e. falfe, abfurd, and hurtful dodrines, up-
on the bafis of Chrifl:ianity,who yet fhall be favcd
at laft, tho* *' fo as by fire."
These confiderations fhould, on the one hand,
keep us from being cenforious towards our fellow
Chriftians ; and from dealing out our anathema's
againft thofe that are in error. On the other
hand, they fhould make us fincerely inquifitivc
after the truth ourfelves, and zealous in the de-
fence of it. It is, by no means, an indifferent
thing, whether people have jufl conceptions of
Chriflianity or not -, tho* all parties have perhaps
laid too much flrefs upon their own peculiar fen-
timents ;
io6 Of Salvation hy Grace.
tlnrnts ; and been wanting in candor and for-
bearance towards others. The more juflly people
conceive of the docflrines of the Gofpel, the more
lik-Iy they are, humanly fpeaking, to live as be-
comes thfir profcfllon. Miftaken notions of re-
ligion, ef^iculiy fuch as evidently difannul the
obligations to obedience, rendering the command-
ments of God of none efFed, (hould certainly be
oppofed antl refuted ; altho* they fhould not be
abfolutcly inconfillcnt wjth a good life, and evan-
gelical righteoufncfs. It we ought to " contend
earneftly for the fahh once delivered to the
faints ; '* we ouglit certainly to contend with as
much earneflnef^; at lead for that praflical piety
and virtue, without which no one can be a faint ;
and which is, in fit^, the end of all faith.
It is not very (Irange if thofe, whofe \ rnciples
allow them to live wickedly, fhuuld allow them-
fdvts in it : Efpecially when we confider how
many there are, who allow themfelves to do fo,
contrary to their principles. — I'here are great
numbers of perfons in the ChrilVian work! who,
altho' they acknowledge the necefiaty of obedience
to tlic gof[)eI, yet practically deny it, led away by
their own lulls and enticed. What then can be
naturally expe(5lcd of thofe, who imagine they
have a difpenfation for finning ? and that g- od
works arc of little or no account in the ci-riftian
religion! It is rather to be wondcr'd at, that any
of thefc deluded perfons Iliould be good, ( as it i'
to
Of Salvation by Grace. 107
to be hoped they are) than that To many of them Serm.
fhould be wicked, as there is reafon to fear. For V.
it is very unufual for men to be better than their
own principles oblige them to be : tho' it is very
common for them to be much worfe than they
can be, In confiftancy with them.
The delufions to which I had a particular re-
ference above, may all be reduced to one grand,
capital error ; which is this. That the merits oX
Chrift's obedience and fufferlngs, may be fo ap-
plied or imputed to Tinners, as to be available
to their juftification and falvation, altho' they arc
defticute of all perfonal inherent goodnefs. This
grand miftake is varioufly modified -, it puts on
different forms and appearances ; and fcripture-
terms and phrafes are brought to fupport it.
When it is cloathed in fcripture language, it is
exprefled thus ; that wc are faved by grace •, that
we mud h^ found in Chrift not having on cur own
righteoufnefs^ which is cf the law -, that we are
jufiijied by faith without the deeds of the laWy &:c.
Thefe are the phrafes which, I fuppofe, have
been the mod commonly aBufed and perverted
Jto ferve {q bad a purpof.% as th^t of mak-
ing men believe they may be in a (late of
favour with God, while they live in difobedience
to his commandments. They all amount to
much the fame thing, both in their natural and
true fenfe as they are ufed by the facred writers,
and in the opinion of thofc who wreftand pervert
them.
5 oS Of Salvation by Grace.
Si:t?M.. them. However I /hall confider them diflinftly ;
v. *nd endeavour to rtfcue t! cm from the ialic, ab-
furd gl;.fr.'S which have been put upon them,
greatly to the prejudice of pure and undelikd re-
ligion. And 1 hope it will fufTiciently appear,
ihat thofe who ufe thcic phrall*s in order to dif-
parage g:^od works, and evangelical obedience ;
or iQ order to lliow thar we may be julVified and
tvcd without being doeis of the word^ dsceivt
their ownfelveSy and delude tliofe who believe
them. For they cannot poff.blv be tho't to fa-
vour fo licentious an opinion, 'til they are mifun-
derttoud.
It is only the fi-ft of tfiem, viz. That we are
faved by grace^ that vv'ill be confidcred in this dif-
courfe. jNow that wc are really faved by grace,
no one who believes the fcriprures \^\\\ deny ;
this being not only a docftrine Oi fcriprure, but ex-
prefied in the the very words of icnpture. But
thoie wh(3 im;.gine th^t, b^caufe wc are faved by
gr^ce, obedience to the gcfpel is not necrlDry, as
the condition on our part, in order to f*lvation,
draw a conclufion whicii is very unnatural. If
theft* things are reccncileable one v\it}i the other;
it It may be true that wc are faved by gr.cc, and
yet true that wc cannot be f.ived without obedi-
ence : then certainly the fuopofcci ik cefTitv of
obedience, does not at all militate againft: the
d'-'drine of our fa I van. n hv grace. For if rh. re
be no real repugnancy betwixt thcfe princi. ic%
they
Of Salvation by Grace. • 109
they may be both equally true ; nof can the SerM.
faifhood of one be inferred from the truth of the y^
other,
'My buHneis here therefore, is, to Ibow that
there is no inconfillency betwixt thefe dodrines ;
that tho' wc are faved by grace, yet we are faved
^n the way of obedience, and confcquently, that
it is a perverfion and abufe of the fcripturc doc-
trine of grace, to infer from it, that obedience to
Chrift's Commandments, is not the gofpel ootv-
ditfon of our acceptance with God, and obtaining
eternal hfe by him.
Now, that to be faved by grace, in the fenfc
of fcripture, does not imply that we are faved
without, or independently of, obedience and per-
fonal righteoufnefs, is very evident in general
from hence. That I bat grace of God which ha$
appeared unto us, teaches us, not that we may
hope for falvation while we continue in fin ; but
that denying ungodlinefs and worldly hijlsy vjs
Jhculd live foberly^ rightemifiy and godly in the
world ; looking^m confequence of our hving thus,
for the blejfed hope. If even the grace of God
which is revealed to us, teaches us that wc are
to turn from our fms to God ; it muft be an
abfurd inference, that we need not turn from (in
to God, becaufe this grace is revealed to us, and
we are faved thereby. This is, in efFe(5t to fay,
that becaufe God in the gofpel of his grace, has
taught us that we mull deny our worldly lulls,
I . and
1 1 o Of Salvaticn by Grace.
Sf. RM. 2nd fl-rvc him, therefore we need not dofo •, but
V. may obtain his favour without ! St. Paul has cx-
«- — •— — ' prefly cautionM us againft fuch an abufe of the
dodrir.e of God's grace. '* Sin fhall not have
dominion over you, fays he, for ye are not un-
der the law, but under grace. What then ! iliall
we fin, bccaufe we are not under the law, but
under grace ? God forbid.'* * The apoftle, in
• "Rmtm this panage,nGt only reprefents our being under a
6. 14, 15. difpenfation of grace, as confident with the ne-
ccfTity of our forfaking every finful praftice ; but
he reprefents this as an additional obligation laid
upon us to do fo. He draws his argument for
obedience and righteoufnefs of life, from this
very confidcration, that we are under a gracious
difpenfation. *" Sin fhall not have dominion over
you i for ye are not under the law, but under
grace." Thofe muft therefore reafon very pre-
pofteroufly, in a manner quite contrary to the
apoftle, who would go about to prove from the
gracious nature of that covenant which we are
under, that obedience is needlcfs ; or that we may
continue in fin, bccaufe we are favcd by grace.
They draw an inference the very revcrfc of his,
from the fame principles. His inference is, that
becaufc we are under grace, therefore we may not
• continue in fin : Their's, chat wc 7nay continue
in fin, becaufc wc are under fuch a difpenfation.
And now whether St. Paul is in the right, or
diofc who contradict him, judge ye.
THis
Of Salvation by Grace. 1 1 r
This is, I think, fuffxientto (how in general, Serm.
that all thofe mifunderftand the fcriptiire dodirine V.
of our falvation by grace, who inter from it, that
ourfalvation is not fufpended upon our obedience
to God's commandments. But let us be a little
more particular in confidering the feveral figni-
fications of the term grace, in the new tellament ;
that fo we may fee whether either of them mili-
tates againft the fuppofed neceiTity of obedience
and good works.
And let us begin with the primary and moft
general notion hereof •, which is favour ; or fome
ad: of gocdnefs, generofity or bounty^ as diftin-
guifhed from thofe ads which come within the
known laws of common equity and juftice. In
conformity to this firft and moft general fenfe of
the term, when it is faid that we are faved by
grace, the meaning is, that we do not merit fal-
vation •, that wc cannot demand it upon the foot-
ing of natural juftice •, but it flows from another^
fountain, even from the abounding goodnefs and
mercy of God. It proceeds wholly from his un-
deferved favour ; and is to be acknowledged as
his gift, not claimed 'as our due. And that our
falvation is of grace in this fenfe, I as firmly be-
lieve, and am as ready to alTert, if not io able to
prove, as any other perfon whatever. Our fal-
vation took its rife in the mere bounty and good-
nefs of God. And the fame over-flowirfg good-
JDcfs, in which it had it's origin, is confpicious in
every
112 Of Salva 'ion by Grace*
rvery pirt of it, *cil it is, or rather fhall be, com-
y pic itcd an.i perfected in the regions of immortal
b'ils. But does it follow .'from hence, that this
falvation does not accrue to U3 in .the way of
obedience to Chrift*s commandments ? May it
not be true, that God requires this obedience of
us, as what is indifpenfably necelTary in order to
our falvation •, and yet be true, at the fame time,
that He manifefts his favour, and great goodnefs
to us herein P Certainly our obedience, however
neceflary it may be, is not fo valuable and meri-
torious, ^s to be an adequate confideration for the
falvation and eternal happinefs of our fouls : So
far from this, that we Ought to look upon our-
ftlves as unprofitable few ants y even tho* we had
done all thofe things that are required of us.
How then could it ever enter into the heart of
man .to imagine, that if obedience to the gofpel is
niccfiriry in order to our falvation, then it could
not be true that we arc laved by grace •, as if fuch
obedience excluded grace ^ and left no room for
the cxcrcife of it ? Thofe perfons muft fet a very
u*due and difproportionate value upon our im-
perfect obcdieiice, who imagine it leaves no place
for the manifedation of divine grace or favour in
our falvativ/n ; and that whatever God is pleafed
to confer upon us in confequence hereof, is only
the paying of a debt, or rendering the labourer
the rcwar'd, to which he has intitled himfclf, on
the fooling of cwiungn equity.
The
Of Snlvaiion by Grace. i^
The reafoning of fome perfons upon this poinfe S£RM#
are very (Irange and unaccountable •, and, I think V.
quite inconfiftent. For one while they tell uSj
that our obedience, and beft good works, are only
^s filthy rags \ fo very mean and contemptible^
that they cannot be truly acceptable to God, or
fit to be rewarded by him : Yea, that they are
attended with fo much fin and impel feclion, that
they muft be odious to him •, and rather need a
pardon, than entitle us to a reward. But, in the
next,it not the fame breath, we are told, that thefe
filthy and abominable good works, if fuppofed
nectfTary and conducive to our falvation, would
fubvert the do6lrine of our being faved by grace :
Which is to fay in other words, thatimpcrfcd: and
finful as t^iey are, they are yet fo valuable, fo ex-
cellent, fo meritorious, that they leave no room
for God to exercife grace in our falvation ! But
if our works of righteoufnefs are all fo imperfedl,
not to fay {o filthy^ as they are fometimes repre-
fentcd to be, one would think there was no dan-
ger of excluding divine grace, by fiying that
obedience to the Gofpel is 'made the condition of
our falvation. Tho' obedience is required in or-
der to'^our falvafion, it cannot be tho't meritorious
of it. The truth Ires betwixt the two extremes
mentioned above. Our obedience anH good works
are really acceptable to- God in fome degi-e ;
othei*wife he would not h ive required us to per-
form them, and promifed to reward then) j as he
I has
OJ Salvation hy Graci.
has mod certainly done. But yet they are not fo
V^ valuable in their own nature, as to merit eternal
life for thofe who perform them. God is infinite-
ly gracious, in accepting this imperfe(5l obedience
thro' Chrifl:, and in bellowing eternal life upon
the fubjecls of it. This is therefore a reward, not
of merit on our fide, but of grace onGod's part.
How unjuftly then, are thofe who hold the necef-
fity of perfonal righteoufnefs ; and believe that
God will] gracioufiy reward our obedience, thro*
Chrifl, charged with maintaining the doftrine of
merit, in oppofition to grace ? This is but too
common a flander, made ufe of by captious un-
charitable men, to bring a reproach upon thofe
whom they diflike.—
It is readily acknowledged, that the mod
perfcdl man does not work out a righteoufnefs,
ftridlly legal. Salvation therefore cannot be ob-'
tained, but upon the footing of grace or favour.
Yea, I may add, that alt ho' our obedience we're
perfe<5l,it would dill be favour and bounty inGod,
to bcflow eternal life upon us in confcquence of
it. We might indeed, upon this luppofition,
claim an exemption from punifhment and miftTy,
according to the immutable laws of right and
equity. But to aflfert that the mod perfe(fl rightc-
oulncfs and obedience of a creature, would, in it's
own nature, on account ot it's inherent worth,
and independently of any promile of God, intitle
clut creature to endkfs happincfs, is to aflert
more
^.
Of Bah at ton by Grac^. ^3
more than any man can prove. It would evident- Se RM.,
ly be grace in God to confer endlefs immeafurable V.
blifs, upon a creature, who had in no inftance
violated his laws. The reward would be more*
infinitely more, than adequate to the fervice per-
formed. Who can prefume to fay, that the
holieft angel in heaven, has by his obedience,
llridlly fpeaking^ merited everlafting happinefs i
or, that it is not grace in God, to confer this up-
on any creature whatever 1 If God makes a crea-
ture happy during his obedience, it is the utmoft
that juftice requires. Such a creature might,
without receiving any wrong or injury^ be de-
prived of his exiftence and happinefs together*
after perfevering in his obedience for any given
time. The Author of his being, is not that I
know of, abfolutely obliged to preferve him for-
ever, becaufe the creature has notfwervcd from
his duty. And if God is not bound in juftice to
make fuch a creature eternally happy, it muft be
grace in him to do it •, for betwixt juftice and
grace, there is in this cafe no medium. Certain-
ly then, it is grace in God to beftow endlefs
happinefs upon thofe who have violated his laws,
however penitent and reformed they are. And
this, I hope, is fufficient to ftiow, that altho' we
cannot be faVed, without obedience to the Gof-
pel ; and altho' this is, properly fpeaking, the
condition upon which pardon and eternal life are
offered to ws 3 yet ic may be ftill equally true,t!iac
la w«
1 1 6 Of Salvation hy Grace.
SerM. ^^^ ^^^ i^'^t^ by grace, as that fignifics favauf
* V, and unmerited goodnefs in the Creator and Lord
of all.
It will come to the Ome tiling at iafl, if by
grace we iinderftand more particulcitly the gofpel'
difpenfation. The term is often ufcd thus in Icrip-
turc \ and indeed this is the mod common fenfe
of it. And the Gofpel is called grace, by a u-
fiial figure, in refpedt of the fubjefl of it ; be-
caufe it is a declaration and manifeflationufGod'S'
grace or favour towards finncrs. Hence we read
of tht Gcfpel of the grace of God. And this dif-
pcnfation of n-.ercy, is fometimcs flyled grace
more efpccially in contradidincftion from the Mo-
faic, or Legal difpcnfation. So it is faid, that
" theL^tv was given by Mcfes -, but Grace, — •
came by Jefus Chrifl. And in general, where-
cvcr law and grace arc oppofcci to each other in
the new tcflament, grace means the Gofpel, the
good news of pardon and eternal life, brought
from heaven to earth by the Son of God, and
preached to the world by his apoftles.
Now if we undcrftand the term in this «!ppro-
priate fenfe, when we are faid to be fuved by
grace, the meaning will be, that wc arc fared by
the Gofpel,or in the way which theGofpel reveals
to us •, which is a declaration of God's favour
and mercy to finful creatures -, a declaration of
his gracious purpofe to fnrg-ve and fave tranf-
greflbrs, upon certain terms thereia marked out ;
and
Of Salvation hy Grace. 117
and which docs not infift upon perfedt Obedience, Serm,
as the Law of Mosps feems, according to the y.
letter of it, to have done. For, fayg St. Faul^ v.,— y-— <
*' Mofes defciibcth the righteoufners which is of
^' the Law, thar the Man which dcth thofe
" things, fiialllive by them. " * And theflime * ^^ '''■*^'
Apoltle tells us, that the language of that fcve-
rer difpenfation is this, " Curfed is every one
*' that continueth not*in all things which are
•' written in the law to do them.*' t + ^■''^- 3*
lO.
It may be here afked again, how our be^
ing faved by grace, in this fenfe, militates againft
the fuppofed necefllty of repentance from dead
works, and fincerely obeying that Gofpel, by
which we are to be faved? What tho' we are not,
neither can he, faved upon the footing of mere
law, whether the law of Mcjes^ or the law of
nature ? What tho' we are faved by, or in the
way of, a new and merciful covenant eftablillied
in Chrifl Jcfus ? a covenant of Grace, wherein
provifion is made for the reftoratiqn of Tinners to
the divine favour ? Will it follow from hence,
that we are faved without any kind or degree of
obedience ? It is not inconfillcnt even with a
covenant of grace, that it fhoukl propofe to us
certain terms and conditions for our acceptance, in
order to our obtaining the blefTings thereof. And
tho* we fliould fuppofe, that the terms on which
the gofpel offers falvation to us, arc thofe of faith
and new obedience, would this make it ceafe tQ
I 3 be
Of Salvation hy Grace.
be a covenant of grace ? Surely, the covenant
injy be very gracious, tho' it promifes pardon
anJ eternal life, only to penitent, obedient be-
lievers.
In fhort, to be faved by grace, meaning here-
by the gofpel of God's grace, is to be faved in
that way, in that method, which the gofpel
opens, provides for uj, and prefcribes to us. To •
know particularly what tfiat way is, we muft
look into the gofpel itfelf : And if wc do fo, we
fhall find that it is fo far from being inconfiftent
with the fuppofition, that obedience to the pre-
cepts of it is neceflary •, that this is the very thing
which it makes neceffary ; the great, or rather
the only, condition upon which it offers falvation
to us. For in this difpcnfation of the grace of
God, it is, that we are aflured, that Chrift is be-
come the author of eternal falvation to all them
that obey him •, and that thofe who obey not the
truth, but obey unrighteoufnefs, fhall fall under
condemnation hereafter. Since, therefore, to be
faved by grace, is to be fared in the way which
the golpcl reveals to us •, and fmce the gofpel
itfelf cxprcfsly requires repentance and fincerc
obedience in order to our falvation ; it is a very
abfurd i; fercnce, that becaufc we are faved in
this method of grace, therefore we are not faved
in the way of obedience •, which is indeed the on-
ly way that the gofpel knows of : Unlcfs by be-
in^; Civcd in the way of obedience, you me-m
obedience
Of Sahatioft by Grace. 119
obedience that is perfe6l and flridly legal ; for if Serm.
that is what is intended hereby, it is certain that y,
no one is faved in that way, no one having per-
formed fuch obedience. But it will not follow,
that becaufe perfcft obedience is not neceflary in
order to our falvation, therefore no obedierxe at
all is neceflary to that end : Nor are we charge-
able with turning the gofpel of God's grace into
a covenant of works, in reprefcnting all the
blefTingt of it as confined to thofe who, " having
believed in God, are careful to maintain good
works."
To proceed, the term grace is fomctimes
nfed to exprefs a heavenly, divine principle in the
hearts of thofe who are born again. I am not
certain, indeed, that the fcripturc ever ufes the
term in this fenfe ; tho* this being now common
with theological and pratflical writers,wc will take
the propriety of it for granted. And if we arc
faved by grace in this fenfe, it is the very thing
which I would prove, viz. that we are faved by
holinefs, righteoufncfs, and evangelical obedience ;
not without it. For what do we mean by this
divine principlejthis grace in the hearts of the re-
generate, but a principle of goodncfs, or holinefs?
a principle, which makes us reiemble God, and
prompts us to live in obedience to his command-
ments ? To be faved by grace, underftanding
thereby a principle of real fandity in the heart,
5ind fuch a one as is always productive of good
I 4 ^-'Mi«
1^2 o Of Salvation by Grace.
fruits in the life, is fo far from being repugnant tQ
the fuppofcd nccefTity of evangelical obedience,
t.'iat it is the very fimc doctri ic, only ex|>refled
in difFt-rent words. For when it is faid, tnat o-
beying t!ie gofpel is necefTary in order to our
filvation, or that we arefived by fuch obedif^ ce;
nothing more is i ^t.-ndcd, than thar it is necelTary
we Dv >uKl be p- •fleiled of fuch a gracious princi[>ic
as was f^j-ken of above -, a principle ct nghreouf-^
nels, which n-ianifcfts itfelF in w goo 1 c^n-'erfa-
tion •, and that whof )ever is endowed therewith,
has thepromifr of eternal liie. So that they who
aflTcrt we are fa vcd by grac^?, in this fcr.fc of the
term, are fo far from coniradid^ng rtK fc: who
maintain tlie neccfiky of obedience, and t!ie CiH-
cacy of it, that they aflcrt the fame thin^ tlicm-:
felves.
It will make no materid difference, as to the
point now before us, if by grace we underfland,
not a principle of goodncfs and holinefs in the
heart, but thofe influences and operations of the
fpiric of God upon the heart, by which that good
princi^^le is produced therein. This, if I miftake
not, is what people often mean by the term grace.
Let us therefore underiland it thi's, for the pre-
fjfit ', and confidcr whether our being faved bf
grace, militates againft the other luppofition, viz.
that we are faved in the way of obedience to
Chrifl's commandments. Antl now, underiland-
ing the term thus, when it is laid wc are fayed bjf
grace.
Of Salvation by Grace. I2i
grace, tlie meaning muft be, That God faves us Serm.
by begetting or producing in us, a principle of y.^
holincfs and righteoufnefs ; and that we could
not be faved, did He not thus give his holy
fpirit to renew and fandlify us : Or this may be
exprtlTcd more in the phrafe of fcripture, thus^
1 hat God faves us by '' working in us both to
will and to do ot hjs good pleafure " : Or thus^
that He " faves us by the wafhing of regenera-
tion, and the renewing of the Holy Ghoft : "
Or, " thro' fandiBcation of the fpirit unto o-
bcdiencc.*' Very well : it is readily acknowled-
ged, that it is by the operations of the fpirit of
God upon our hearts, that we attain to true holi-
nefs •, and that we cannot be faved without his
blefTcd influences, in turning us from fin to righte-
oufnefs. But what does this make againft the
fuppofed necefTity of obedience ? The being faved
by grace in this fcnfe, prc-fuppofcs the necefTity
of holinef , of perfonal purity, and fan^^tity of
heart and manners. For the grace of God, or
the gracious influences of his Spirit, in turning u$
from unrighteoufiiefs to obedience, would not be
neceflTary in order to our falvadon, where not
obedience itfelf nccefTary to that end. The ncceffi-
ty of the former, arifcs only from the neccflTity of
the latter. For if you fuppofc that righteoufnefs
and obedience, arc not necefTary to the end men-
tioned, and that we may be faved without them .
f ert^inly that grace of God, by which we arc
Knadf
122 Of Salvation by Grace.
made righteous, is unnecefTary alfo. The grace
of God, meaning thereby the gracious influences
of his fpirit, contributes to our falv^on, only as
it produces in us that holinefs which is the con-
dition of our being faved, and by which we arc
made meet for the kingdom of Heaven. So that
to fay, we are iaved by grace, in this fcnfe of the
term, is in effcd to fay, that we arc faved by
that divine and heavenly principle which is
v/rou_;ht in us by the good Spirit of God, co-
operating with the gofpel of his Son •, and that
we could not be faved, unlefs we were thus crea-
ted ane-w in Chrift J ejus unto good works. And
this, furdy, is very confifbent with the fuppofi-
tion that we are faved in the way of obedience tQ
the Gofpel, or by our being doers of the word.
Those mentioned are the moft ufual fenfes of
the term grace : Nor can I readily think of any
other or dlfFc;rent meaning, that can be affixed
thereto, when we are faid to be faved thereby.
The fcnfe of the propofition, muft be either ( i )
in general, that wc are faved by the favour and
bounty of God to us, in oppofition to the doc
trine of merit •, or (2) that we are faved by the
Gofpel of Chrift, as contradiftinguifhed from the
jaw of Mofes •, or (3) that we are faved by being
truly holy •, by what fome call a principle of
Grace in the heart •, or (lajily) by God's produ-
cing fuch a principle in us, by the gracious influ-
ences of his Spine i whicli comes to the fame
thing,
Of Sahation by Grace. 123
thing, with refpe6t to the point now in hand. Serm,
And the dodrine of our being faved by grace, in y^
any, or inallofthefe fenfes, does not militate in
the lead degree againft the dodine of our being
faved by obedience to the Gofpel •, and of our ob^
taining, in this way an intereft in God's pecuhar
love here, together with an inheritance hereafter in
the kingdom of heaven. The necefTity of o-
bedicnce is rather cftablifhed, than overthrowa
and refuted, by the fcripture do6lrinc of our ial-
vation by Grace,
To conclude this difcourfe, therefore, let us
take heed, while we acknowledge our falvation
to be of grace,that we do not pervert this dod:rinc
to the encouraging of licentioufnefs, either in our-
felves or others. To the honor of God, and the
gofpel of his Son, we are bound to confefs, that
we arc faved by Grace. But furely it is not to
his glory, nor to the honor of the Chriftian reve-
lation, to imagine that we are faved by grace ia
any fuch fenfe, as would render obedience to our
Saviour's commandments unnecefTary. On the
/ contrary, it would be highly difhonourable to
both, to conceive thus. Such an imagination
does, in effedl, deveft God of his holinefs, and
all his moral perfections. It is to reprefent him
as giving men a difpenfation for indulging their
lufts, by an exprcfs revelation from heaven.
For, in truth,whac elfe is it, to alTert that the gof-
yd
124 Of Salvation by Grace.
pel is a difpenfation of grace, in fuch a fenfe, that
even thofc who live and dye in their fins, are not
excluded by the terms of it, from the hope of im-
mortal happinefs ? And that the gates of heaven
are fc t open to all thofc who believe, whether
they work rightcoiifnefs or work iniquity ? If this
is not to reprefent God as being indifferent to
virtue and vice -, if it is not to abufe his grace,and
turn it into lafcivioufnefs ; if it is not to make
Chrift the nVinifter of fin, rather than the Saviour
of men from it ; it will be impolfible to fay what
is really fo ; yea, that any thing can be fo.
Kor can there be a greater difhonor done to
Chri.'^ianity, than is done to it by thofc who
reprefent it in this light.
Suppose one of the wifer fort of Pagans^ who
had as yet never heard any thing concerning the
gcfpcl of Chrift, fhould have an account givca
thereof to this purpofc ; " That it was a very
" gracious difpenfation, iuafmuch as it did not
" require in its prufcflbrs, fincere piety, and the
*' prartice of virtue, as abfoluttly neceflary to
*' their btring hai py after death •, but only re-
*' conmended thefe things as being decent,and a
" proper way of exprefiing our gratitude toGod j
*' and that the mofl vicious men, provided they
" hear anJ believe this revelation, trufting intircly
*' to the rightcoufnefs and obedience otHimwhofe
*' name it bear?, fhould certainly obtain eternal
^' life : ** What would fuch an intelligent Pagan
naturally
Of Salvation by Grace. 125
naturally conclude? Certainly that this preacher SeRM.
o{ free Grace was befide himfelf ; or, which is ftill V.
v/orfe, that he was a very abandoned man, and
not only vicious himfelf, but defirous to corrupt
others by his licentious doflrinc. He would not
believethat the religion, of which fuchan account
was given him, was really a revelation from hea-
ven •, but would very naturally and juftly con-
clude it was the invention of fomc wicked man,
or, atbeft the dream of a weak one. But yet I
am bold to fay, that this is, and mufl be, the
account given of Chriftianity, by all thofe wha
deny the neceffity of obedience thereto, and of
perfonal righteoufnrfs ; and who iiifer from the:
dodrine of our being faved by grace, that we
may be faved without goodnefs. Take heed
therefore, my Brethren, left any man deceive you,
and left you deceive your ownfclves, with vain
empty words, and falfe hopes. " Be ye doers
of the word, and not hearers only." . And reft
alTured, that That do(flhne which teaches that
men may obtain falvation, without ceafing to do
evil, and karning to do well ; with( u yielding a
finccre obedience to the laws of Chriftianity ; (that
^hat doflrine, I fay) is not fo properly called a
Doctrine of Grace, as it is, a Doctrine
OF Devils.
sermon
SERMON VI.
127
Of Miftakes concerning being found
in Chrift, not having our own
Righteoufnefs, ^c.
James I. 21, 22.
Lj4 T apart all filtbinejs and fuperfluity of
naughtinefsy and receive with mcehiefs the
ingrafted word ^ which is able to Jave your
fouls. But he je doers of the word, and
not hearers only^ deceiving your ownfelves..
AMoNGST other Things, the neceffity
of our being doers of the wordj ^^^^-*
and not hearers only, in order to ^ '^^•
our obtaining the falvation revealed in
the gofpel,has been diftindly fhown from
this pallage of fcripture. But becaufe St.
'James here fpeaks as if there was at lead
i(ixm danger of our deluding ourfe>lvcs
with
12 8 Of being found
Serai, with an imagination, that obeying the gof-
VI. pel is not really neceflary to the mentioned
■nd,in the precceding difcourfe I entered
upon a confideration of thofc miftakes
rcfpec^ling this important point,into which
many Chriftians have fallen, even from
the early days of Chriflianity ; • and to
which tlie Apoftle refers in fome parts of
tliis epiftlc. The errors and delufions
which I here intend, refpefl: the general
fcheme of our falvation by Chrift,and the
nature of that covenant of grace, w^hich
is cllablifhed in and by Him. Which er-
rors and delufions, have, I fuppofe, chiefly
proceeded from a mifconftrudion of cer-
tain cxpreflions in the writings of S\:,TauI.
And indeed St. Tet^^r obferved long fince,
that in the epiitles of this his belovedBro-
ther, there were " fome things hard to be
underftood, wliich they that are unlearn-
ed and unliable wrell — unto their own
deflru6Hon/'
The expreffions which feem at leaft
as likely to be thus wreftcd by the un-
learned ana unjlable, as any other in thofe
epillles, are fuch as theie ; That we are
*^ faved by grace ;" That we muft be
** found in Chrill, not having our own
*' righteoufncfs;"and *'that we arejuftifi-
" ed by faith, without the deeds of the law."
¥ov from tliefe, and fuch-likc expreffions,
fome
in Chrifi, ^c. 129
feme have in fa6l imagined, that perfo-SERM,
nal righteoufnefs, inherent hoHnefs, or VI.
obedience to the Gofpel, (call it which ' ^"'^
you pleafe) is not really ncceffary in or-
der to our acceptance with God, and to
our obtaining the lalvation revealed to us,
and purchalcd for us, by Chrift : And it
is to be feared, that many, from age to
age, have thus deceived themfelves to
their own deftruclion. Thefe fcripture
expreffions which have been perverted^,
fo as to render the commandments of God
of none effect, and to annul the obliga-
tions to evangelical obedience, terminate
nearly in the fame point at laft. How-
ever it was propofed to confider them
diftijiclly ; and to fhow how far they are
from countenancing any fuch licentious
doftrines as have been grounded upon
them. The former of them, viz. that we
are " faved by grace," was conlidered ia
the laft difcourfe.
Let us now proceed to a confiderati-
on of the fecoud, refpefting; our being
fmnd In Chrift^ &c. The pafTTage at large
ftands thus in the epiftle. * . " But what *^'^^'*^>- 3
" thmgs were gain to me, thefe I coun-
" ted lofs for Chrift ; yea doubtlefs, and I
" count all things but lofs for the exccl-
" lency of the knowledge of Chrift Jefus
" my Lord ; for whom I have fufiered
K, " the
— 10.
1 3d Of hehig found
Sfrm. <' the lofs of all -things, and do count
VI. /* them bur dung, that I ma)^ winClirift:
And be found in him, not having mine
'' own righrcoiifhcfs, which is of the
^ 'La\x% bur that xxliich is thro* the faith
•* of Chrift, the rif^hteoufnefs which is of
** God bv faith : That I may know him,
^* and the power of his refurreclion, and
" tlic fellowfhip of his fufferings, beiifg
•*. niadc".conformabIc to his death/'
" Tills paflage haxingheen made great
ufe of, in order to fliow, that our own
perfbnal righteoufnefs is of little or no ac-
count" in the liglit of God ; and that the
righteouliiefs ofCJirill:, imputed to us,
iwdi received bv faith, is the folc ground
6f bur' acceptance with Him, I lliall con-
flJcT it the more carefully and diftindiy.
f will give fome lliort and general ac-
(*Oimt of Sf VanN deiign here : And then
point . out more parricnhrly, both Avhat
that righteoiiihefs U which he here dif-
daims and .renounces,- and what that*
is, which he builds Ws hope"! upon, and .
f^lbries i- "^' im whence, I doubi' not,
it Vv'ill ap^^j^r, ihat he is fo far from con-
rnVdi'vling any thing which has been faid
upon this fubject, cgnccrning the necelli-
tyb^obcdienCt. to the Gof^^el, that he, in
(^fFcc^t, 'nfrercs'tlic^^imv thing himfelf.
Now
in Chrijl^ &^c. 131
Now it is to be remembrcd, and par- Serm.
ticularly obferved, for the right under- VI.
ftanding of this paffage, that St.Taulwas,
both by birth and rehgion, ajew : Hejiad
•been educated in the principles and prac-
tices of the Tharijees, as he himfelf in-
forms us. He had been fo zealous in this
wa}^, as to become, very early, a bitter
enemy to the name and religion of Chriil;
and thus he continued to be, 'til he was
miraculoufly converted to the Chriftian
faith, in his journey to Damafcus, And
the paffage quoted above, reprefents to us
in general, hovv^ entirely his fentiments
concerning religion, and the way of ac-
ceptance with God, were changed from
what they had formerly been : — -how
contemptibly he now tho't of many things,
in which, while he was a Tharifee, he
gloried in, and depended upon, as a
fufEcient and acceptable righteouihefs : —
how highly he now accounted of Chrift,
whofe name he was wont to blafpheme ;
and whofe difciples he had perfecuted : —
Jiow follicitous he was to attain to tliat
righteoufnefs which the gofpel prefcribes,
and to that Salvation which is therein re-
vealed to finful Men. This is the general
dcfign and fcope of the paffage we are
conlidering. And furely a perfon newly
converted from "Jttdaifm to Chnjiianity^
K2. from
32
Of b:ing found
Serm. {xom a perfeciiting W;(:;r//f r to a ' difcipic
^^' oi Jcjus^ may well be luppolcd to under-
' ^'""^ value all his former attainments in religion,
and to renounce all depcndance upon
them for falvation, without being fup-
pofed to undervalue that obedience which
the gofpcl requires,or to renounce all de-
pendence thereupon in the grand affair of
his acceptance with God, and obtaining
eternal Life. Mv meaning is, that it does
not follow from thcApoille's difclaiming,
and depreciating- the former rirrhteoufneis,
that he mufi: difclaim and depreciate the
latter alfo. For tho' one ma}' be really
wortlilefs and infignilicant, the other may
be truly valuable, and acceptable in the
iight of God. Tiic righteoufnefs ofa jP/;^-
r'tjcc, may be contemptible, and yet the
obedience of aChriftian be of great price,
and great eflicacv wirli God. Unlefs it
cc.n be fhown tliat the Apoftle here re-
nounces fome other righteoufnefs than a
Tbanfciicai one, as that is oppofed to the
obedience and good works of a fincere
ChrilHan, thispallage is not to the purpofe
of thole who alledgc it in order to prove,
that a Chriftian's obedience is not that
which entitles him to the falvation which
Chrift has wrought out, and which is re-
A'caled to us in his gofpcl.
Let
in Chriji^ &^c. 133
Let us,, therefore, as. was propofed, Serm.
inquire a little more particularl}^ what VI.
righteoufnefs that is, which St. Taiil re-
nounces ? whether it is only the riglite-
oufnefs of a T/jariJee, or the obedience
and good works of a Chrillian ? And for
the refolving of tliis point, let us go to
the pi'eceeding context, where he gives
us an account of what, as a Jew and a
Tharijee, he had formerly valued himfelf
upon.
In oppofition to the unconverted ^£"16'/,
who relied upon their external privileges,
upon their circumcifion, and other ritual
obfervances, he fays- — >We are the circumci-
fton, -which worjhip God in thefpirit^ and re-
joice in Chriji J ejus ^ and have no confidence in
the flejh, ver, 3. As if he had faid, " The
Jews vaunt of their being circumcifed :
But we Chriftians, altho' we may not
have externally received that rite, are yet.
tlite true fpiritual feed of Abraham^ being
circumcifed in heart, which is the thing
lignified by that outward fign. We are
more truly the circumcifion, according
to the fpiritual meaning of the law, than
they who glory only in the vifible fym-
bole of internal purity : For we ferveGod
in fpirit and in truth ; and glory in our
relation to Jefus Ghrifl, who is the end
of the law ; having no dependence on
K 3 thofe
Of being found
thofc carnal ordinances, and weak and
beggarly elements, Avhich they who arc
iHli zealous of the law, value themlclves
upon." Though I might alfo have confidence in .
the ficjl?. If any man thinketh he hath whereof
he might truft in the flejl)^ I more, vcr. 4.
q, d, " Think not that I fpeak with con-
tempt of thefc flefhly ordinances, from
a principle of envy ; or becaufe I could
not glory in the obfcrvation of them as
well as others, if I judged this was any
juft ground of confidence. No : If fuch
things might juftly be trufted in ; if any
man whatever can, with reafon, place
his dependence upon things of this na-
ture, I am bold to lay that I myfelf can
do it with as much juftice and propriety,
as any other perfon ; yea with more than
the greater part of thofc that do fo."
The ApoRle proceeds to explain himfelf
in the next words — Circumcfed the eighth
day, of the Jlock of Ifrael, of the tribe of
Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrew s ; as
touching the law, a Tharifee'* ver 5. </. d.
'' You may judge by what follows, a\ ith
]lo^v much more jultice I could glory in
Jewi/h privileges, and legal, ceremonious
obfcrvances, than molt other pcribns, did
I value myielf upon them. For I was
circumciied cxaftly on the eighth day,
according* to the very letter of the law ;
which
in Chrijiy ^^*, 135
which is more than ^ every Je\v.^can Serm.
boail. I defcended dirccll}^ from' the VI.
loins of Ifrael;, and am. one of the tribe of
Benjayii/i,:who\vas fo pccuUarly beloved
of our common Father : I am not a pro;-
felyte, nor the fon of a orofelytc, but a
natural born Jeiu, a branch fprurig \ip
from the priginal ilock of the Hchreivs^:
And I w^^ JTPLoreover ;pne of that fee:?,
which is of the greateft note and' reptita;-
tion amonglt the Jezi^Sy the kdi of the
ThatifeesJ' "The Apoftle proceeds with
the catalogue of his privileges, &c. Con-
cerning zeal^ -perfecuUng the church ; touch-
ing the r/gljteoufnefs ivh'ich is in the lazu^
blamelefs. ver. 6. q, d, " Nor was I one
of the cold, lifelefs profelTors of the
Jew/fi religion : So far from it, that I
.diftinguilhed myfelf by rny zeal for it ;
yea, fo warm and fang nine was I in the
caufe, that I exerted myfelf to the utmoff,
to beat down all that did, or feemed to
oppofe it ; and accordingly became a
violent perfecutor of the church ofChrift.
Andjto fum up all in one w^ord, I w^as'fo
ftrift an obferver of the law of Mofes, ac-
cording to the common way of interpre-
ting it, that no perlbn, Irowever critical
and zealous, could blame me, or tax me
with deviating from the righteoufnefs
ofit."
K 4 Now
136 Of being found
Now thefe are the things which St,
Taul alFerts, gave him greater ground of
confidence, and glorying in the Heflijthan
moft of his countrymen,who flill adhered
to the law in oppofition to the gofpel,
could pretend to : Upon which, however,
he renounces all dependence for righte-
oufncfs, and acceptance with God. But
it will be proper to inquire more particu-
larly into the Apoftle^s meaning, in the
lalt words quoted above, where he fays
that he had been blmnelefs^ touching the
r'lghtcoufnefs that is in the laiu ; this being,
as I apprehend, a point of confiderablc
importance. By this, then, I think he
niuit intend one or the other of the three
things following : Either,
1. That he had been, in the moft
flricl and proper fenfe, perfed: and lin-
Icfs : Or,
2. That he had been blamelefs
and perfert in a lower and lefs proper
fenfe ; as other good men under the law
wjcre faid to be, notw ithftanding fome
deviations from their duty : Or,
3. That he had been blamelefs with
relation to the ceremonial part of the
law ; which it feems, the Jews of that
corrupt, degenerate age,generany efteem-
cd the moll excellent, and chiefly gloried
in.
The
in Cbrijl^ &^c. i^j
The righteoufners which the apoHlc Serm*
here intends, whatever it be, he certain- VI.
ly difclaims as an inluflicient ground of
truft and dependence, in the next words.
• — But zuhat things were gain to nie^ thofc
I counted lofs for Chrijl. The connexi-
on plainly fhows, that he contemned
and difpifed all his former righteoufnefs,
in comparifon of that which is of God
by faith.
Now we may be very certain that the
Apoftle is not to be underftood in the
iirfl fenfe mentioned : He does not mean,
that he had perfectly kept the whole law
of Moses, in its greateft extent and lati-
tude. For ( I ) it is generally acknow-
ledged by Chriftians, tlm't that law com-
prehends the law of nature, as well as the
law of ceremonies, and carnal ordinan-
ces : In which latitude, our Saviour him-
felf expounds it. (2) St. y Whimfelf fays
exprefsly, in his epiftle to the Rojnans^
that all, Jews as well as Gentiles^ have fin-
ned ; that all the world is become guilty
before God ; and that every mouth mull
be flopped. In which places he cannot
be fuppofed to fpeak exclufively of him-
felf. (3) We divers times find him la-
menting the fins which he had commit-
ted, while he was in his Jewifi fl:ate ;
particularly that of pcrfccuting the church
of
138 Of being fou?id
of Ciirilt. (4) If he had been perfect in
this leiile, he could not have undervalued
ilu h a righteoufncfs, or needed any other,
For a perfect rightcoulhels is undoubtedly
fulTicient for any man : And the language
of the law itfelfis, " That the man that
doth thcfe things, fhall live in them."
From thefe confiderations, not to mention
any more, it is evident that St. Taul^ by
his hav ing been blamcJcJs touching the r'lgh-
teonfncfs ivhich is in the lawy could not in-
tend that he had perfeftly obeyed the law
in its utmoll latitude and rigor.
It remains, therefore, that he is to be
undcrllood either in the jecond or third
fenie mentioned : i. e. That he had been
blamclcfs and p'erfeft, as other good men
unJer the la^^% were faid to be, not-
withllanding fome deviations from it :
Or that he had, with the greateft punclur
ality, obfcrved the ritual part of it, as
contradiltinguidied from the moral. Let
us conlidcr, wliich of thefe things he in-
tends. And that he is to be underftood
in the lall mentioned lenfc, Avili, I think,
appear very prohabie at lealt, from the
i'ollowing conliderations.
I. It does not appear from St. y^///s
llory, as \wc have it in the new teltament,
that he was really a good man, antece-
dently to his converllon 10 tlie taith of
Chrill ;
in Chrijl^ ^c. 139
Chrift; or that he had any righteoufnefs Sera:.
befidcs that wliich was proper to his feci, ^^'
as 2iThariJcc, And how much this righte- ' — ^>^'""-^'
^Dufnefs confiited in outward formalities,
and ceremonious ulagcs ; how little of good
morality went into the compofaion of a
TbanfcS^ rigliteouiiiefs ; how far it fell
fhort of that hncere piety and undiilem-
bled virtue, which was eflential to a right-
eous character, even under the law of
Mojcs^ no one can be ignorant, who has
read the go/pc!s with due attention. That
which our Saviour terms, The rightcouj'-'
nefs ofthefcribes andTharifecs^ did not in-
clude in it real lanclity of heart and man-
ners ; llich as good men under the kvv
were the fubjeds:of. If it had, he would
not furely have told us, that except our
righteoufiiefs exceeds it, we cannot enter
into the kingdom of Heaven - For it w^ill
not, I prefume, be doubted but that all
truly pious and holy men, whether under
the legal or evangelical difpenfation, fhali
not actually be admitted into that king-
dom hereafter. How does it appear, that
the Apoille w^as a better man than thofe
of his, fed generally were ; w^ho, as is
plain from our Saviour's account of them,
were not only imperfeft, as the beft men
are in this w^orld ; but deftitute of that
righteoufnefs which is attainable ; and of
which
140 Of being found
which many good men under the law
\\ ere actually the fubjects I It is not very
eafy to reconcile the iuppofition of Saul^'s,
being a good man, with the known faft
of his being fo bitter a pcrlecutor of the
church ; and his continuing to breath out
threatenings and llaughter againlt it,^ for
{o long a time together. To delire to do
the win of God, is elTential to the charac-
ter of a o;ood man : And our Saviour had
faid, That " if any man would do his will,
^' he fliould know of his dodrine wiiether
" it were of God, or whether he Ipake
*' ofhimfelf." Can it eafily be fuppofed,
then, that Saul, had he been really a good
and upright man, could have been, for
fo long a time, under a miftake in this
matter ; and been fo outrageoufly zealous
as he w^as, to exti'-pate the religion of
Chrid \ I will not abfolutely deny the
pollibility of this ; but yet thmk itjs very
improbable. Befides, St, "P///// feems, in
fome of his cpillles, to attribate his be-
coming a good man, to his becoming a
difciple of Chrift ; particularly v. here he
lays, that it was '' the law of the fpirit of
life in Chrilt Jefus, that had made him
free from the law of fm and death." Now
if liis convcrfion from iin to God, was co-
temporary with his converlion irv>m 7«-
dn'tfm to Chrijlianitj ; (which is pioi?ubie
fivia
in Chrijl, ^c. 141
from the account he gives of himfelf) it ^erm.
follows, that by the righteoufnefs which ^^'
is in the law, he miifl mean only that
external, pharifaJcal rightcouihefs before-
mentioned ; not that internal and fanftity,
of which good rnen were the fubjefts un-
der the fiwfaic difpenfation.
It will perhaps be objected, that St.
Taul declares he verily tho^t with himfelf
that he ought to do thofe things which
he did, contrary to the name of Jefus
of Nazareth ; that he had lived, before
his becoming a Chriftian, in all good
confcience towards God : And that this
fuppofes him to have been a righteous
4nan, in the qualified fenfe of fcripture,
antecedently to his converfion to the faith
of Chrift. However this feems not to be
conclufive and fatisfaftory : For there are
•doubtlefs many wicked men who aft con-
fcientioufly, efpecialty in the bufinefs of
pcrfecution, when their heads are heated
Avith religious, party-difputes, and their
hearts burn with a falfe zeal. Men may
■acl confcientioufly, for the time, in things
of this nature, and indeed in almoll all
others ; and yet not be truly good and
virtuous. When our Saviour tells his dif-
ciples that " the time would come,when
^* whofoever killed them, would think
.^' that he did Godfervice ;" I fuppofe none
imagine
14-
Of being found
imagine that he means good and virtuous
rciQW would do tlius, merely becaule they
are iuppofed to aol: conicientioully towards
God, thinking they do fervicc to him.
No ; The obvious fenie is, that men of
corrupt minds, and deltitute of the trutli,
Vv-ould be fo infatuated, fo blinded with
bigotry, and enmity againft the gofpel,
that they would perfecute even to death,
tiic preachers and profeffors of it, not on-
ly without pity and rcmorfc, but even
witli a firm perfwafion that they were
difcharging their duty to God ; i. c. with
a good confcicnce towards Him. It is not
therefore implied in what the Apoftle fays
of himfelf, that he had been a truly right-
eous, good man. It does not necef-
itu'ily, or naturally, amount to any thing
more than this, all circumflances being
confideied ; viz. That he had been zeal-
ous in the religion he profelTed ; a con-
fcicntious obferver of the law, as interpre-
ted by tiie Tharijees ; and that whcti he
was embruing his hands in the blood of
the innocent, he was ^o far from doing
what he knew to be fmful, that he fol-
lowed the diftates of a miilaken con-
fcicnce. All which is rather an evidence,
that the light within him was then dark-
nefs, and that he was depraved to great
degree, than that he was really the pious
man.
in Chriji^ &^c. 143
man, and JiriBjnoraliJ}^ which fome fup- Serm.
pofe him to have been. . VI.
2. That the Apoftle is not to be un-
derftood as alFerting that he had been a
careful obfcrver of the moral part of the
law, appears from hence. He is here
arguing againft the Jews ; and evidently
fpeaks of the righteoufnefs which is in the
law, according to the notions and inter-
pretations thereof, which generally pre-
vailed amongft them : He reafons with
them, or rather againft them, upon their
own principles, in order to confute them
the more cfrcctuall}^ And is it not ma-
nifeft from the new tePcament, that the
righteoufnefs wliich the Jctus of this time,
cfpccially the Thar/fees, laid the greatelt
ftrefs upon, and chiefly gloried i]i, was a
mere ceremonious, or ritual righteouf-
nefs ? a righteoufnefs, which had little or
no concern with their hearts and morals?
This was evidently the cafe. And it is
much the moll natural fuppofition, tliat
St. Taul here ufes thefe terms, [the riglit-
eoufnefs which is in the Law] in the
;>k;//7; fenfe of them ; intending fuch a
righteoufnefs thereby, as thelc words
would have fignified in the mouth of a
common Tharifee. It was not directly to
his purpofe, to ufe them in any higher,
or more exalted fenfe,
3. Tpiis
Of being found
3. This is flirthcr c\iclent, " Becaulc
he Ipcaks of fuch a righteoufnefs as
was reckoned matter of confidence in the
fejl? ; which is his way of defcribing
** the pofitive part of the Mojaic law,
" which was of a carnal nature, related
'' to, and affected the flefh ; whereas the
" moral righteoufnefs therein required
" was not flcflyly ; nor is it, that I remem-
" ber, ever Ipoken of as fuch." *
4. The particular things wiiich the
Apoftle enumerates in this pafTage, as giv-
ing him greater rcafon of confidence and
boaiting, than many others could pretend
to, are all relative to the Jeivs, and the
iiwfaic (Tconom)' ;• — -his lineal defcent from
Abraham^ circttmcijion^ &C. He does not
io much as hint at any particular branch
of true moral righteoufnefs, which he
could juftly lay claim to, unlefs his perfe-
cuting zeal can be looked upon as fuch.
Now if the Apoltle had really intended to
rcprcfcnt himfelf as a pious,virtuous man,
antecedently to his becoming a Chriitian,
can it be fuppofed that he would have in-
ftanced only in his JczviP^ pri\ ileges, and
things
• Vid Mr. Pt'irft-'s notes ;>; Loc. How much, or how lit-
tle, I have been beholden to this learned Commentator,
in other parts of this difcourfc, where I have not cx-
prcfly mentioned him, xnzy be cafily fecn by thofc wh»
ihink it worth while.—-
m Chriji, m. 145
things of a ceremonious, external nature? Serm.
Is it not much more natural to fuppofe, vi.
that he would, in this cafe, have inftan-
ced in the great and important precepts
of the moral Law, which he had care-
fully obferved ? He certainly knew, at
the time of his writing this epiftle, what-
ever he did before, that the keeping of
thefe latter commandments, was much
more commendable, and acceptable in the
fight of God, than the things of which
he fpeaks ; but yet wholly omits them.
This is, I think, a plain demonftration,
that by his having been blamelefs touch-
ing the righteoufnefs which is in the law,
he means no more, than that he had kept
the ceremonial law with the utmoft pre-
cifion and exaftnefs ; fo as to Itand, in
that refpeft, at leaft upon an equal foot-
ing with any of his countrymen.
5. If by the righteoufnefs that is in
the law, the Apoftle had intended the
moral purity and good works required
thereby ; it is not fuppofeable that he
would have fpoken of it, in the verfes
immediately following, in fuch ftrong
terms of contempt as he does ; faying
that he counted it lofs and dung. Indeed
he often fpeaks, in other places, of the
moll compleat righteoufnefs of the beft
men, as imperfect ; as attended with
fome faults and failings ; and therefore
L ia-
I ^6 Of being found
infuflicient to juflify them before God,
according to the rigor of law : But this
is a very different thing, from ftvling
fuch a rightcoiifacfs lofs and dm^ : Nor
do the fcripturcs any where authorife
our fpcaking of the moral virtues of
good men in fuch contemptuous lan-
sruaee. This is inconllilent with the
whole fpirit, and the conftant language
of fcripture ; wherein the nioral "^ irtucs
of good men are always mentioned
with honor, and the higheft epithets of
commendation. But if we fuppofe the
Apoftle intends only thofe Jcwijh privi-
leges, and that ceremonious righteouf-
nefs, wherein the Tharijccs chieHy truft-
ed, without any reference to the ivcigh-
tier matters of the la-iv ; it will be eafy to
account for his fpeaking of fuch a righte-
oufnefs ia the manner he does. This
riu-htcoulhefs, not containini^ in it anv
tiling truly good, but confilHng m.erely
in x.\\c flnn of gGclVinefs ^\ ithout the f(nvet\
might be fitly enough compared to dung^
or to flthy rugs ; and renounced as a
worthlefs thing. But to fpeak in fuch
reproachful language of the moral virtues,
"ivhich confift fummarily in the love o£
God and man, and an imitation of the
divine perfedions ; is, in itfelf fo abfurd,
a^d appjcp^cUcs fo near to profanity and
blaf-
in Chriji^ &^c. 147
blafphemy, that I cannot think fo wife SaHM.
and good a man as St. Taul could ever VI.
be guilty of it. He always fpeaks in
quite a different llrain concerning obedi-
ence to the moral part of the law ; tho',
as was faid before, he aflerts that no mail
has fo exadly and perfeftly obeyed the
law, as to be juftified thereby ; and
therefore admonilhes us to rely upon the
grace of God in Chrift Jefus, as revealed
in the Gofpel, for acceptance with him.
For the feveral reafons mentioned, I
think we may conclude, with a good
degree of certainty, that when the A-
poftle declares he had been '' blamelefs
touching the righteoufnefs that is in the
law", his meaning is not, that he had
been finlefs ; nor even that he had been
a drift obferver of the moral part of the
law, fo far as is confiftent with common
human frailty : But only, that he had
been righteous in the pharifaical fenfe of
the word ; that he was poffefled of the
righteoufnefs which that feft trufted in ;
which gave them confidence in the flefli ;
and which confifted almoft wholly in cer-
tain external privileges, and cerenlonious
ufages ; as appears fully from the new-
teftament, particularly from the following
paflages — '' The Tbarifees and all the
Jews except they w^afh their hands eac
L 2 not
148 ^f ^^^^g found
Serm. not— And many other tilings there be,
^^ which they have received to hold; as
^■"^'^'""^ the wafliing of cups and pots, and brazen
velTcls and tables" — . " Woe unto you,
Scribes and Tbarijccs^ liypocrites ; lor yc
tythe mint and aniie and cummin, and
negle<^l the weightier matters of the law'*
— '' Ye make clean the out-fide of the
cup and the platter ; but within are full
of extortion and excefs — -Ye are like un-
to whited iepulchres, which indeed ap-
pear beautiful outward ; but are within
full of dead mens bones and all unclean-
nefs : Even ih ye appear righteous unto
men ; but within ye are full ofhypocrify
and iniquity'' — " Ye make void the law
of God thro' your traditions." — ^Thefe
palTages give you a true Idea of the reh-
gion chiefly in vogue, in t-he days of our
Saviour and his Apoftlcs ; I mean a-
mongll: the Jcws^ eipccially the feci of
the "^P ban fees ^ that jlra'tt Jccl^ to which
St. Taitl fays he belonged. And this is
manifeftly the righteoufnefs which this
Apoltic intends in the palllige we are
confidering ; which he calls the i-'ighteouf'
nejs that is in the law ; and /;// (nun rigbte-
oujiiejs. This is that righteouihefs which
he once depended upon, accounting it
gain to him ; and which he afterwards
rEiiOunced, accounting it no better than
rua- ' lofs
in Chrijl^ Mc. 149
hfs and diing^ in comparifon oitloe r'ighte- Serm.
oujnejs which is of God hy Faith, Nor can VI.
there well be a greater perverfion of his
meaning, and true defign, than to reprc-
fent him as fpeaking in this manner con-
cerning that real holinefs and moral good-
nefs, by which men are made like to the
blefled God himfelf.
Let me make one ihort refledion
here before I proceed any further. Since
it is plain that the Apoftle, by his ozun
righteoufnefs^ which he renounces in fuch
llrong terms of contempt, means only his
Jew'^j priviledges, and an external phari-
faiccil righteoufnefs ; this Ihows the abfur-
dity of applying what is here faid to the
virtues and good works of Chriftians ; of
thofe Pei'fons who live under the Gofpel-
difpenfation, and pradically conform
themfelves to it. Such perfons, are often
told, that they muft have no dependence
upon their own righteoufnefs^ their virtues
and good works ; that this righteoufnefs,
is no better than dung^ &c. And all this
loofe, irrational kind of talk, is pretended
to be grounded upon, and fupported by,
the doctrine of St. Taul ; particularly in
the palTage now under confideration.
Whereas it is very manifeftjthat this great
Apoftle had not the leaft reference to the
good works of Chriftians ; nor even to
L 3 the
Of being found
the moral duties required by the law of
Mofcs ; but only to that fuperficial, cere-
monious righteoufnefs, in which the Tha-
rifees were wont to truft and to glory ; a
righteoufnefs altogether different from,
and inferior to, that which is intended
by tliofe, who fo zealoufly warn us not
to have any dependence upon our obedi-
ence to Chrift's commandments ; fo total-
ly different from it, that no argument can
be drawn from one to the other. And
how well foever thofe may mean, -who
appl}^ what the Apoftle fays concerning
his own righteoufnefs, while he was a
perfecuting'P/'^r//^(', to evangelical obedi-
ence ; it is demonftrable that they grofly
wreft his meaning ; and inftil very falfe
and pernicious notions of religion into
the minds of Chriftians.
But to proceed : Having feen what
the apoftle here intends by his own righ-
teoufnefs y the righteoufnefs which is ;;?, or
of the lauf ; and which he difclaims as
being of little or no value ; let us now
inquire what it is which he oppofes
thereto ; and in which he trufts and
triumphs.
Now he tells us, that he defpifed his
own former righteoufnefs ; and account-
ed it as lofs and dung, for [or in compa-
riJba of J the excellency of the hiowkifge of
Chrifi
in Chrifl, Mc. ' 151
Chrift Jcfus his Lord :—that he might luin Serm.
Chriji, and be found in him — having the VI.
right eoufnefs luhich is thro' the faith of
Chrijl ; the righteoufncfs whkh is of God by
faith ; thai he might know hiin^ and the pow-
er of his j-efurreBioity and the felloivfliip of
his fufferings^ being made conformable unto
his death— The leveral things here men-
tioned, the Apoftle oppofes to his former
rigliteouihels, while he was a Thar fee.
Let us conlider them diftinclly, that w^e
may fee, whether they do not comprife
in them obedience to the gofpel ? and
confequently, whether the Apoftle does
not rather oppofe his own r ight eoufnefs ,
which was of the law^ to evangelical fn-
ritj and holinefs^ than to the righteoufncfs
of Chrift imputed ?
The firft thing he mentions is, the ex^
cellency of the knozvledge of Chrijl Jefus hir
Lord, By which knowledge, if he di-
rectly intends nothing more than a gene-
ral fpeculative knowledge of Chrift, and
the gofpel-difpenfation ; yet this will
make nothing againft the wdrth and im-
portance of evangehcal obedience. But
if, as it is moft probable, he means what
fome call a pradical experimental know-
ledge of Chrift ; or fuch a knowledge as
is produftive of obedience to his com-
mandments ; then this is not oply no ob-
L 4 jeftion
1^2 Of being found "
jccHon againft, but a direct confirmation
of, what has been faid upon this point.
For the Apoftle's fenfe will then be, that
he coutcmned his former, pharijliical righ-
teoufncfs, as worthlefs, in comparifon of
that real purity and fanftity,, of which
thofe are the iubjefts, who truly know
Chrift. And in this complex fenfe, the
knowledge of Chriil is often to be under-
ftood in the new tcftamcnt : /. e. it com-
prehends both a fpeculative knowledge
of him, and a frame of mind, and an ex-
ternal behaviour, conformable thereto,
Tiius it is faid, Hereby do ive bwu/ that
we knoiu /;/;;/, if we keep his commandments.
He that faith I know him^ and keepeth not
his commandments^ is a Lyar and the truth is
not in him. So it is faid to be life eternal^
fo know the only true God^ and Jefus ChriJI,
"^uhojn he hath font, Tliis mult mean, to
know God, r;nd his only begotten Son,
fo as to love and ferve them, in tlie man-
ner the gofpcl requires us to do. For
furely it is not life eternal to know God,
if in works we deny him,
The Apollle adds — That I may win
Chrijl f . His meaning is, that he might
have
• '\. '* Sr.P.rii/ }.ere cartles on a very handfom ard agrcablc
** tllfgory, in which ail the nicla|>hors are taken from traders
** or merclums" — *• lie fccjiis here to confider Chrift, as the
" moft Jniporfant and Viluablc thing, which he vitLs therefore
'* ro!l»citQus to fccurc to l»in\l<:lf»"—^Mr. ?«>»'/■
/;/ Chriji^ &^c. 153
have Chrift for his Saviour ; that he might Serm.
be interefted in the redemption wrought VJ.
out by him, in conformity to that me-
thod, and to thofe terms of acceptance
with God, which the gofpel reveals.
The expreffion here ufed is fo general
and indeterminate, that no argument can
be drawn from hence, either for or a-
gainfl, what I am now more particularly
endeavouring to fhow.
The Apoftlc fubjoins — -and be found in
him. The phrafe [ being /;/ Chriji] is u-
fed in a twofold fente in the new tefta-
ment. Sometimes it intends no more
than an outward profeffion of his name
;and religion ; or being a member of his
vifible Church, which is his body. At
other times it means being in him as his
true difciples and followers ; and intereft-
ed, by faith and fincere obedience, in
that falvation which he has purchafed for
all fuch. Thus the Apoftle John explains
it ; " He that keepeth his commandments^
dwelleth in him!' .And St. Tend himfelf ;
\Roni. 8. \,\ " There is therefore now no
condemnation to them which are in Chrifl
Jefus^ who ivalk not after the fiejh, but af
ier the fpiritr Agreably hereto, it is faid
in the apocaJypfe^ that blefled are the dead
which die in the Lord—--, for they reft
from their labours, and their zuorks do fol-
low
1^4 ^f f^^'^^g found
low ihemy From thefe feveral palFages
it appears, that to be ;>/ Chrlft^ in the
molt eminent and important lenfe of the
Phralb,is to be interefted in the redempti-
on and (alvation which he has wrought
out, by keeping his commandments ; by
walking after the fpirit ; or by doing thofe
good works^ which are laid to fellow the
righteous into another world, when they
depart out of this.
Now when the apoftle exprefles his
ardent defire, that he might be found in
Chrift ; it feems moll natural to under-
ftand him in this latter lenfe, i. e. as
wilhing to be found and acknowledged
at laft,as one of Chrift's faithful fervants ;
one of thole, to whom the great and pre-
cious promifes of the gofpel are made.
We can fcarce fuppofe that he would ex-
prefs fo great a folUcitude as he here does,
to be found in Chrift, only by an out-
ward and formal profeffion of his religi-
on ; or by faith alone, as it is oppofed to
evangelical obedience. To be found in
Chrift in this lenfe only,he certainly knew
would avail him nothing at the laft day.
And if we underftand him in the other,
as we ought undoubtedly to do ; furely
there is nothing here which looks like
difparaging, or undervaluing, the viitues
and good works of Chriftians ; or which
intimates
in Cbriji^ &^c. . 155
intimates that the Apoftle difclaimed all Serm.
truft and dependence upon his living in VI.
obedience to Chrift's laws. His words '
imply the direft contrary : viz. that he
earnelliy defired to be a faithful and o-
bedient fervant of Chrift, as the only way
of obtaining falvation by him.
The Apoftle goes on- — Not having
mine own right coufyiefs^ which is of the law ;
but that which is thro the faith of Chrift ;
the righteoufnefs of God by faith. What he
means by his own righteoufnefs, which
was of the law ; has been particularly
fhown above ; viz, his Jewijh priviledg-
es, and his ftrift adherence to the cere-
monial part of the law, according to the
cuftom of the Tharifees, So that the in-
quiry now is only, what St. Taul intends
by the righteoufnefs which is thro the faith
ofChriJi, the righteoufnefs which is of
God by faith ] and which he oppofes to
that righteouHiels of the law, on which
he had formerly relied.
Now by this he may pofTibly mean,
that real holinefs of heart and manners,
which is the genuine effeft of faith, oif
faith ih Chrift, and in God thro' him.
Agreable to this interpretation, we read
of faith .that worketh by love, that over-
cometh the world^ and the like. And e-
vangelical righteoufnefs, or that holinefs,
the
156 Of behtg found
the root cuid principle of which is faith ;
as it might be properly enough termed
the righteoufnels which is thro' the faith
of Chrilt, or the righteohfnefs of God by
faith ; fo it might, with equal propriety,
be oppofed to 'Jnuijl priviledges, and an
external, pharifaical conformity to the law
of Mofes, And this righteoufnefs might
be faid to be of God, in contradiftinrtion
to the other, cither bccaufc it is that righ-
teouihefs, which He has prefcribed and
required, and promiied to accept ; or be-
caufe it is attained by grace and help de-
rived from Him. And if we underlland
the Apoille thus, as many do, not with-
out fome appearance of reafon ; this paf-
fage will furely make direftly againfl:
thofe, wliofe practice it is to fpeak con-
tempt!Uoufly of Chriftian obedience ; and
to reprefent it as being of no efficacy to-
wards procuring Acceptance with God,
and eternal life. Nor does this interpret
tation render the obedience and atone-
ment of Chrift needlefs ; for it is only
thro' him, that our imperfeft righteouf-
nefs is accepted and rewarded.
Howcver,therc is another interpretation,
which feems rather more agreable to the
dortrinc and language ofSt.T aul in other
places; and which is, I think, to be prefer-
red accordingly. By rightcoujhcfs here, I
underftand
in Chrijiy &^c. 157
imderftandnotanyholinefs or good works Serm,
of men ; any obedience which Chriftians '^^•
■perform ; but pardoning mercy, accep-
tance and juftification, with God ; as the
fame word is fometimes ufed. J Of fuch
pardoning mercy, or juftification unto
life, we become the objeds, by faith in
Chrift, or by the gofpel of Chrift, in op-
pofition to the law. For it is elfe-where
laid, that by the deeds of the law no fiep
Jlmll be jujlified ; becaufe all have finned,
God has gracioufly ordained another way,
in which tranfgreflbrs may be accepted
and juftified of him ; viz, thro' faith in
his Son, Avho is the propitiation for Sin.
And the mercy of God thus revealed to
fmners in the Gofpel, is here called His
righteoufnefs thro faith. And God's ac-
cepting finners in this way, is what the
Apoftle elfe-where expreffes by hb * im-
puting
X In this fenfe, the Apoftle Paul'm particular, feems evi-
dently to ufethis term, Rom. o^. 2t, 26. But now the
righteoufnefs of God without the law is in-mifefied, being witneff-
edbythe law and the prophets ; even the righteoufnefs of (J od
which is by faith of Jefus Chrifl, Sec,
* I cannot but juft obferve here, that the fcripture teaches
no fuch doftrine.as that of God's imputing the perfe5l righteouf-
Vffs if Chrift to fnners for juftification. If we have rccourfe to |
Romans 4th,where the imputation of righteoufnefs is mentioned ;
and which is, I think, the principal paffage, on which the
Advocates for this doftrine build, it is very evident that the im^
^uting of righteoufnefs is oppofed to the mtrkin'g of iniquity, and
fignifici
158 Of being found
puting rigbteoufnejs without works ; and
his counting faith for right eon fnefs. But
then it is to be particularly obferved, that
tho' faith is here, and in other places,
oppofed to the works and rightcoufncfs
of the Mofaic law^ properly fo called- ;
yet it is not oppofed to evangelical obe-
dience, as if it was by believing in Chrifl",
exclufively of fubmitting to his will and
commandments, that we are accepted
with God, and intitled to eternal life»
For throughout the new teftament, when
the blcflings of pardon, acceptance with
God, and eternal life, are annexed to
faith
fignifKs the fame thing precifcly, with forgiving iniquity :
cwerirgfm ; or not irntutingfin. For thus k is thai David i&
rhcrc introduced as dejcribin^ the blcfTcdncfs of the man, unto
whom God imputeth righteoufnels without works, faying,
•' ^Icffcd arc ihey whofe iniquities arc forgiven, tnd whole
*' fin<^ arc covered : bicflcd is that man unto whom the Lord
" will not impute fin." I would not be undcrftood to mean,
tbit it J? not in confiJcration of Chrill's becoming obiditnt unt9
•liath, mat thofc who believe, are pardon'd, accepted, and
treated of God as tho' they were riglueous : For this is evi-
dently the doctrine of the Gofpcl ; and is 1 fuppofe, what it
intended when it is faid. That " b^ the obedience of Ore,
inany (liall be made righteous." {Ron. 5. 19.) Pofiibly f^me
who fpeak of Chrift's righteoufnefs m being impuudio us, mtv
intend no more hereby than what is cxpreflicd above : — with
whom I have the happincfs to agree, except ai to the proprie-
ty of this way q^ exprfj/ing the matter. This. I humbly con-
ceive, is a mifappiication of the fcripturc phrafc, imputing
riihtemjnffi ; and almoft unavoidably leads many people into
A mifapprehcnfion of the fcriptarc do^rine of our pardon and
acceptinrc with (iod, :kro' vsha; our Rcdccnjcr has done uA
fuffcrcd fgr tt>.
in Cbrifiy &^c. 159
faith ; faith either means the gofpel-dif- Serm.
penlation in general, as oppoled to the VI.
inofaicy or elfe it is to be taken in a com-
plex fenfe, and intends both beUeving the
gofpel, and an hearty fubmiffion and o-
bedience thereto. Nor can it be other-
wife imdcrftood, without leaking the
fcripture contradict itfelf ; as will appear '
more particularly in the two following
difcourfes, concerning jujliflcation by faith.
Upon the whole, the ienfe of the A-
poftle here, where he exprefles his defire
to be found in Chrift^ not having his own
righteoufnefs ; but that which is thro the faith
ofChrifi ; the righteoufnefs of God bj faith ;
may be taken in the following para-
phrafe : q. d. " It was, and llill is, my
great concern to be found a true difciple
of Jefus Chrift ; interefted in the mercy
of God thro' him, and intitled to the fal-
vation purchafcd by him : — -Not depend-
ing upon my privileges as a Jew ; nor
defiring to appear in that legal ceremoni-
ous righteoufnefs, of which I once tho't
fo highly ; but relying wholly upon the
pardoning mercy and goodnefs of God ;
which He has now clearly revealed and
promifed to thofe who believe in his Son,
and obey his Gofpel, whether they be
Jews or Gentiles.'' This I take to be the
true fenfe and fpirit of St, Tauh words.
And
i6o Of being found
Serm. And if it is, it is perfeclly confiftent with
VI. all that has been laid in the preceeding
difcourles, concerning the neceffity of e-
vangehcal hohnefs.
But the Apoftle goes on- — H^hat I may
know him^ and the power of his refurreilion^
ver, lo. tlie former part. It is needlefs to
add any thing here, concerning what the
Apoftle means by hozuijig Chrift: ; this
being no more, in effect, than a repeti-
tion of what he had faid before, concern-
ing l\\e excellency of the knoiuledge of Chrifl
Jefiis his Lord, But what does he intend
by knowing the Tower ofChriJi's refurrefli-
on ? This may be explained by fuch paf-
fages as thefe : That Chrift was raifed for
our "Juftification ; that God has begotten us
unto a lively hope by his refurretlion from the
dead ; and, that every one that hath this hope^
purifieth him/ef^ &c. The refurrci^tion
of Chrift is the great argument, by w hich
the truth of the gofpcl is eftabliflied : — .
that goipel, which is the bafis of all our
hopes ; the charter of all our privileges a$
Clirillians ; of our pardon, and title to
eternal life. And the relurreftion of
Chrift being confidered in this liglit ; and
i\\ connexion with his fublequent exalta-
tion to glory, to appear in the prcfence of
God for us ; has a natural tendency to
quicken us iu rumjing tlie race of pietx
and
h Chrijl, Mc. i6i
ahd virtue fet befbre us ; to raife us from SerM.
the death of Iki, to newnefs of life ; and V^*
to exalt our tho'ts, to thofe things that
are above, ivhere Chrijl Jttteth at the right
hand of God. Sentiments of this kind fre-
quently occur in the new teftament. And
when the apoftle exprefles his deiire to
know the power of Chrift's refurreftion^
the obvious fenfe thereof is, that he might
experience the full and proper efficacy of
this great doftrine upon his own heart,
in the confirmation of his faith in the di-
vine promifes ; in the elevation of hrs
hopes above this world, and fixing them
on things unfeen and eternal > and fo in
infpiring him with zeal and fortitude and
patience in doing the will of his rifen and
afcended mafler :• — So that this is no evi-^
dence of the Apoftle's making little or no
account of perfonal righteoufnefs and ho-
linefs ; but an evident proof of the con-
trary.
St. ^ aid fubjoins — And the felloivjhip
of his fufferings, being made conffirmahle to
his death. The fenfe in general, may be
this : The Apoftle, we know, lived in
times of great trial and perfecution, being
in jeopardy every hour^ and dying daily ^
And his defire was, that, in all his fufier-
ings and tribulations, he might fuffer af-
ter the manner that Clirill did, in the fame
M glorious
1 6 2 Of being found
Sf.rm. glorious caufe of truth and rightcoufncfs,
VI. and w ith the Hkc patience and relbkition ;
' — ^"^^ that fo he might have a fort of communi-
on and fellowihip and participation with
him in his fufferings, and even in death,
as well as in life, be conformed to his di-
vine Matter. A paiTage in his cpiitles to
Timothy may, perhaps, illuftrate hi^ mean-
ing here — " Therefore, iays he, I endure
all things for the Elce'ls fake, that they al-
fo mav obtain the falvation which is in
Chrill Jefus, with eternal glory. It is a
faithful faying ; if we be dead with him,
we (hall alfo live with him : If we furicr,
we fliall alfo reign, with him," AnTa-
•Chap. I. bly hereto, he tells the Colofians, * " That
vcT. 24- 1^^ ^^^^ rejoiced in his fafferings for them,
and filled up what was behiiid of the af-
fiiclions of Chiilt, in his own flcfh.'* —
But thofe words, bei^jg made conforjna-
hie to his daithy will bear another con-
llrudion. The Apollle's meaning may
be, that he might die unto fin. Which
interpretation is countenanced by fome o-
ther paffagcs of fcripture ; particularly
R'.7n, Chap, 6 ver. 4, and onwards. And
becaufe this palTage may poifibly be the
befl: comment, both upon tlicfe words,
and thofe prccecding, concerning the
()(nvcr of Chriff's reptrrcilion, I fhall beg
eave to give it at large — ." Therefore we
are
in Chrijl, ^c. 163
Arc buried with him by baptifm into Serm.
death ; that hke as Chrift was raifed up '^I-
from the dead by the glory of the Fa-
ther, even fo we alfo ihould walk in
newnefs of life. For if we have been
planted together in the likenefs of his
death : we fhall be alfo in the likenefs of
his refurreftion : Knowing this, that our
old man is crucified with him, that the
body of fin might be deftroyed, that
henceforth we fliould not ferve fin. For
he that is dead, is freed from fin. Now
if we be dead with Chrift, we beheve
that we fhall alfo live with him : Know-
ing that Chrift being raifed from the dead,
dieth no more ; death hath no more do-
minion over him. For in that he died, he
died unto fin once : but in that he Hveth,
he liveth unto God. Like wife reckon ye
alfo yourfelves to be dead indeed unto
fin ; but alive unto God through Jefus
Chrift our Lord. Let not fin therefore
reign in your mortal body, that ye fliould
obey it in the lulls thereof'*
Thus I have endeavoured to explain
this paffage of Scripture, wherein the
Apoflle, renouncing his own righteouf-
nefs which was of the law, as infufficient
to juftify him, and give him a title to e-
ternal life, betakes himfelf to the pardon-
ixig mercy aud grace of God^ revealed in
M z tlie
164. 0/ being fou?id
the Gofpcl of liis Son, thro' faith. And
1 think it appears that thofe Avho apply
ii to the controverfy amongll: Chrillians
at this day, concerning faith and works,
Xis if ix fiiyoured the modern not ton of jufti-
Tj cation thro' the perfe^^t righteoufnefs of
Chrift, imputed to us, and received by
faith alone, intirely miilake the Icope,
and true fpirit of tlie pafTage. It relates
to aii old dii'pute betwixt the unchriftia-
nized Jci.us, who boailed of their privi-
leges, ana depended upon an external,
ceremonious righteoufnefs ; and the dif-
ciples of Chrift, who ailerted the infufli-
ciency of fuch a righteouiiieis, and the
ncceliity of having recourfe to the par-
doning mercy of God, as revealed to
Sinners thro' his Son. And that which
the apoUle here exprelTes fo ardent a de-
fire alter, is neither more nor lefs than
this, that lie might be, both in faith and
praflice, a Chrillian, in order to his be-
ing intided to the di\ine acceptance, and
life eternal. It is a grofs perverting of
fcripture, to interpret this paflage, as if
the ApolUe had been fpeaking oi faith
and zi'orks of rightroiifnejs, iu the 7nodcni
fcnfe. of thofe terms, oppofing one of
them to the other ; and reprefenting the
former, exclufively of the latter, as what
i';*'i--': ^^ •- the Salvation purchafed by
■Chrift.
'in Chrijl, m. 165
Chrift. Nothing could well be more re- Serm.
mote from his true delign ; or more in- VI.
confiftent with the general tenor of fcrip-
ture. It may be added, that giving this
turn to the paflage has a natural and di-
re6l tendency to make Chriilians lefs cau-
tious and circumfpecl, lefs careful to live
up to their profeffion, than they ought
to be. i
Alas ! could forrow enter the manfi-
ons of the blefTed, how would it aftecS:
this holy Apoftle to fee his do6lrine abu-
fed to the encouraging of Vice and licen-
cioufnefs, to the deftruftion of thofe fouls,
for which Chrift died. ! We cannot be
ignorant how follicitous he was, v, hilc
he was fulfilling the miniihy which he
had received of the Lord, that Chriftians
fhould adorn their lives with a converfa-
tion becorning their high calling of God
in Chrift Jefus ; and how much he was
grieved when he faw any contradicl their
profeffion by their behaviour. In this
very epiftle, yea in this very chapter, a
part of which we have been confidering,
he has left us a proof hereof. " Many
walk, fays he, of whom I have told you
oft, and now tell you even weeping, tliat
they are the enemies of the crofs of Chrift ;
whofe end is deftruction, whofe God is
Uieir belly, and whofe glory is in their
M 3 fhamc j
66 Qf being found
fliame ; Avho mind earthly things." Nor
was he lefs careful to live pioully and
virtuoudy himfelf, left he fliould fall
iborc of lalvation at lali:, than he Mas to
inculcate the practice of religion upon o*
thers. Both his manner of preaching,
and his manner of Ha ing, with the gre<u
motive of it, may be judged of by the
following pafTage in his firlt epiftle to the
Corinthians — " Know ye not that they
which run in a race, run all ; but one
rccciveth the prize : So run that ye may
obtain. And every one that ftriveth for
the maftery, is temperate in all things.
Now they do it to obtain a corruptible
crown, but wc an incorruptible. I there-
fore fo run, not as uncertainly ; fo fight
I, not as one that beateth the air : But I
keep under my body, and bring it into
fubjeclion, left that by any means when
1 have preached to others, I myfelf
fliould be a caft-away." This, furely, \%.
not the lauguage of One, who thought
liis Salvation fecured by faith in the righ-
teoufnefs of Another, without holinefs,
and perfcverance tlicrein to the end. But
it is the langUL>ge of One, who looked
upo]\ his future well-being, as llifpended
on the condition of his being righteous
liimiclf, aud continuing faticnP in ^welU
iJoi;j£^
If
in Chriji, ^a: ^ 167
If it fhould be obje6tcd, that this doc- Serm.
trine leads men to trufi to their oiun righ- VI.
teoujhefs ; .Laiifwcr it is very reafonablc ^'^ ""
they iliould do lb, in one fenle ; and the
holy Icriptures liifficicntly warrant it.
God has allured us, on one hand, that the
unrighteous Jlmll not inherit His kingdom ; and
on the other, that tho righteous fiall Jhine
forth as the Sun in the kingdom of their Fa*
ther. Certainly then good men may fo
far trull to their own righteoufnefs, as to
believe it wilt be available with a graci-
ous God, thro' the Mediator ; fo as to
procure eternal life for them. Thus far
to trull thereto, is not to hcjelf-righteousy
in the bad fenfe of the term ; nor to put
a greater value upon our fmcere obedi-
ence, that God himfelf is pleafed to put
upon it in his Word. And thus far it is
evident St. "Paul himfelf trulted to his
own righteoufnefs, vjhich was of the Gof
fel^ when he faid, *' I have fought the
good fight, I have finifhed my courfe,
I have kept the faith ; Hence forward
there is laid up for me a crown of righ-
teoufnefs, which the Lord, the righteous
Judge, will give me at that day."
In I) E ED, fuice we cannot be frofita--
ble unto God^ it is manifell that we cannot
merit any good from him. This is im-
poffible, not only for fuch imperfedl fin-
M 4 f ul
Of being found
fill creatures as we are ; but for thofe of
the higheft and moft perfcft order. The
very notion of merit with regard to God,
is a grols abfurdity and contradiction. It
proceeds from a foolifh imagination, that
the fervices of his creatures are, fome
way or other, really beneficial and ad-
vantageous to him. If we conceive thus,
it is very natural then to think, that we
may make Him our debtor ; and merit
fomething of him in return, But, to ufe
the words of St. "Paul, " Who hath firft
given unto him ; and it fliall be recom-
penced to him again ? For of him, and
thro' him, and to him are all things."
Whenever we come to have juft concep-
tions of God, and of ourfelves, and of
the relation in which we Hand towards
Him ; when we confider Him as a Being
abfolutely independent and felf-fufficient,
whofc goodnefs alone prompted him to
give us cxiilence at firft ; and who go-
verns us, not for his own fake, but only
that we may be happy in loving him»
and doing his will ; thefe fentiments will
efiedually root out all that pride and va^
nity of heart, from whence the notion of
merit fprings. We fhall then be fully fen-
fible, that we are with relation to Him,
mproHtdble fcrvants, even tho* we fhould
do all thofc things that arc required of us ;
and
in Chrijiy &^c. 169
jtnd confequently, that we are indebted Serm.
to his goodnefs, •bounty, and free grace, VI.
for all the happinefs we receive from
Him, whether in this world or another.
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SERMON
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gegg2gea§ggeagee3g§§§geagg
SERMON VII.
Of Juftificatlon by Faith.
James I. 2r, 22.
Lyi T apart all fiUhinefs and fuperfinity of
natightinejs^ and receive with meeknefs the
ingrafted vjord^ which is able to fave your
fouls. But be je doers of the ivord^ and
not hearers only^ deceiving your onvnfelves,
NOT^vITHSTANDING the holv fcrip-
turcs afTure us, that all the impeni-
tent workers of iniquity fhall be con-
demned in the judgment oY the great
Day ; notwithftanding they fo plainly
teach us, that only the pure in heart fhall
fee God ; notwithllandifig we are fo fre-
quently admonifhed to be doers of the
word ; and not to hope for the favour of
God, cither here or hereafter, without
forloking our iiiis, and working righ-'
xeouihefs:
Of Jujiijication by Faith. 171
tfoufnefs ; notwithftanding all thefcSERM,
Things, I lay, it is very hard to convince VIL
fome people, that they cannot be accept-
ed of God thro/ Chrift, upon other and
eafier terms than fiich expreffions ieem,
at firfl: view, to imply in them.
In the two lafl difcourfes, I coniider-
ed, and endeavoured to refute, two mif-
taken notions refpecfing this important
point ; which notions are grounded up-
on a milconftruclion of thofe expreffions
of fcripture, that we are faved by grace ;
and, that we muft hQ found in Chriji^ not
having our own righteonfnefs, —
Th E R E is another Icripture-expreffion,
which' has not been lefs abufed, to ferve
the caufe 'of licentioufnefs, than either of
the former. The expreffion I intend, is
that which occurs divers times in the e-
piilles of St. Taul ; viz. That we avcjuf
tified by faith. This feems to have been
tht peet-anchoj% wdth many : And there-
fore I fhall examine the weight of it the
more carefully, in this and the enfuing,
difcourfe : not doubting but it will ap-
pear too light for their purpofe. The
doctrine of the gofpcl undoubtedly is,
that we are jujlified by faith ; but it is a
great miftake to infer from hence, that
we are accepted to the divine favour, and
«ititled to eternal life, without unfeigned
repentance.
172 Of Jujiijication by Faith.
repentance, and new obedience. What-
e\er notions we may entertain o{ juflifi'
cation ; it is ftill evident that every unre-
formed Sinner, every one who hears the
word,and does itnot,is the objeft of God's
wrath ; and cannot become an heir of
eternal life, but by being nuide free from
fin^ and having his fruit unto holinefs. Peo-
ple may amufe themfelves with terms and
Jifiinclionsy as long as they plcafe ; and
aicribe their jultilication to whatever they
w ill : But after all, the fcripture is plain,
tliat every wicked man is out of his Ma-
ker's fa\ our ; and muft continue fo, till
lie ceafes to do evil, and learns to do well.
But in order to my fpeaking with as
little ambiguity as may be, upon* the point
before us ; and to prevent mifconftrudi-
on ; I would premife a few things con-
cerning the nature of juflification. A
fliort account hereof, will open the way
for A\'hat is to follow, concerning the
manner in which, and the terms upon
vv^hich, we arc jullified before God.
T}! AT which is intended by juflifica-
tion in tlie new tclhimcnt, may be better
underltood by a brief dcfciiption, tliaii
by any formal definition of the thing.
Now evangelical juflification may be
confidcrcd witli relation to the Author of
it ; who is almighty God. For, fays the
apoille^
Of Jujlijication by Faith. 173
apoftle, " it is God that juftifieth/' And Se rm.
if we confider it under the notion of yjj^
an * aB of God ; it is an aft of his mer-
cy,
* Tho' we fometimcs fpcak of juftificaiion as an A^ of
God ; yet it can hardly be conceived of as any thing really
diftinA from his written word, or the gracious promifes and
declarations of the gofpel. The terms upon which we are
accepted, to favour, pardoned and juftified, arc already laid
down in the holy Scriptures : So that thofe who comply there-
with, are ju (lifted of cou He, upon fuch compliance. Thefe
terms are liable and fixed ; fo that every one who comes up
thereto, is intitlcd to the mercy revealed ; thofe who do not,
are Hill under condemnation. There is nothing arbitary, or
Capricious, in the juftification of one, and the condemnation
of another. But God juftiiies one, and condemns another, by,
and in his word ; according as men do, or do not comply
with his will there made known. , No one is under condem-
nation, but whom the word and law of God condemns ; no
one is jullified, but whom the Gofpel juftifies. We do not,
furely, imagine »hat there is any fcntence of abfolution, or
juftification, formally pronounced in heaven, when a man is
juftified ; tho' we fometimes exprefs ourfelves after this man-
ner. No : God's fentence of abfolution, or juftification, is
in his revealed word ; not any thing diftind from, or inde-
pendent of, what he has there declared ; but this is the very
thing itfelf. There is no A^ of juftification to be conceived
of, either as priir, or fubfequent to, or different from, the
gofpel-declarations of mercy. In them it is that we have our
pardon and juftification. God is to be confiden-d as fpeaking
to us in his word ; and as pronouncing the fcntence which
that pronounces, whether of pardon and life or condemna-
tbn and death : Which fentence will be ratified, be put into
execution, and will fully take eflefl, in the judgment of the
great day. To fay a man is juftified, or that he is under con-
demnation, exprefTes the relation in whiqh he ftands to God's
word and law : The former means, that he is One, to whom
the gracious promifes of the gofpel belong ; tnc latter, that he
is One, againft whom a curfe is denounced. It would pro-
bably have prevented a great deal of confufion, and unintelli-
gible rant, upon the fubjeft of juftification, had it always been
confidered in this light ; as being only the fentence whichGod
pafTes on a man, in, and by his word ; inftead of being con-
sidered as a divhie <?<f?, intirely diftind from, and independent
oi, it.
^74-
Of "^fiijlificatrnt by Faith.
Serm. cy, grace and favour, in contradiliinftioA
VII. from his jullice : For, fays the fame A-
poftle Taiil, wc are *' jnftified freely by
his grace." The truth, and the ground,
of which affcrtion will appear, if we con-
fider juftification with regard to the fub-
jec^l: of it ; or who it is that is juftified ;
VIZ. a tranfgreffor of the law of God, or
a finner : For fays St. "Tauly " God juf-
tifieth the ungodly." All having finned,
juftification mull neceflarily be of grace,
entirely unmerited. God juftifies no per-
fon under the notion of his being inno-
cent, or perfectly righteous, whether in-
herently or hnputatively. Nor w^ould the
juftification of fuch a one, be an aft of
grace ; it would be only an act of
juftice.
If we confider evangelical juftificati-
on, with relation to the great Mediator ;
it is liis purchafe, the fruit and effeft of
his Death. In other words. He, by
what he has done and fuffered for us, has
laid the foundation for our being juftifi-
ed ; according to God's appointment,
and the ceconpmy of the gofpel. Ac-
cordingly it faid, that we are juftified by
the grace of God, thro the redemption that
is in Chrif}, ivhom Goi hath fet forth to he ^
propitiation^ &c.
Of yujiijication hy Faith. 175
Let us for the further illuftration of Serm,
the fcripture notion of juftification, con- VII.
iider what benefits are implied therein ;
-and what privileges accrue to the fubjec^ls
of it. Now that which is primarily in-
tended hereby is, pardon, impunity, or
exemption from the punifhment due to
fin, according to the law of God. That
this is the firll and moft proper notion of
evangelicar juftification, appears from the
account and defcription w^hich the apoftle
gives of it, Rom. 4. 5,- "To him that
• believeth on Him that juftifieth the
ungodly, his faith is counted for righte-
oufnefs : Even as David alfo defcribeth
the bleffednefs of the man, unto whom
God imputeth righteoufnefs without
works ; faying, BicfTed arc they whofe i-
niquities are forgiven, and whofe fins are
covered ; blefied is the man unto whom
the Lord will not impute fin. '* From
this pafTage it is obvious, that to jujlify^
to impute rigbteoufnejs without works, to
forgive iniquity ^ to cover fin^ and not to im^
pute fin, areexpreflions nearly fynonimous,
fignifying in general the very fame thing,
viz, the remiflion of the penalty denoun-
ced againft the violators of God's law : So
that juftification is primarily, and moft
properly oppofed to the marking and
punifliing of iniquity.
However
1 76 Of yujlification by Faith.
However this is not the whole of
wliat is implied in evangelical juftificati^
on. It is not a mere negative ; but in-
volves in it, pofitive bleflings, and glori*
ous privileges. For example ; he that is
juftified, becomes, at the lame time, an
objec^t of God's peculiar love ; and, from
a Itate of enmity, comes into a ftate of
peace and reconciliation with Him. Thus
the apoftle tells us, that " being juftified
• — we have peace with God, thro' our
Lord Jefus Chrift." And the perfon thus
juftified is, according to the gracious
promifes and declarations of the gofpel,
entided both to God's peculiar care and
guardianfhip in this world, and to glory
in the other. He is accounted innocent
and righteous, when abfolved from his
fms, in his Juftification ; and acquires
thereby a right to happinefs, as tho' he
had never traniirrcfled. There is not on-
g , ly no condemnation belonging to him * ; but
he has, by virtue of God's gracious pro-
mise, a right to the tree of life ; and to enter
in thro' the gates into the city, if
X^'^-. 22. This, in brief, is the Icripturc notion
and idea of juftification. Perhaps the
term may be fometimes ufed in tlie new
teflamcnt, in a more lax, vague, and in-
determinate fenfe, lb as to be applicable,
as holincfs is, to the whole coUedivc body
of
14.
Of Jujlification hy Faith. 177
of profefled Ghriftians. But whether it Sf.rM*
is ever thus ufed, or not, is not mate- ^^^•
rial to the point in hand. For we are
now fpeaking only of fuch a juftification,
as implies in it the forgivenels of fins, the
fpecial favour and friendlhip of Heaven,
and a fure title to eternal happinefs ; and
confequently fuch a one, as is' peculiar to
fome, not common to all, who profefs
the religion of the GofpeL
And the queftion now before us is,
How this j unification accrues to us I
What terms and conditions thofe are, up-
^ on which it is offered, and granted, to
finners ? Whether we are, in this fenfe,
juftified only by faithj or believing, as
faith is difl:ingui(hed from repentance, and
newnefs of life I Or by faith, confidered
in a larger fenfe, and as virtually com-
prehending fuch repentance, and new o-
bedience. It. is acknowledged upon all
hands, that many even of thofe who
hear the glad tydings of the gofpel, and
have taken upon themfelves the Chriftian
name and charadler, are not the fubjefts
of this jufl:ification. Many of them are,
doubtlefs, as truly under condemnation^
and as much the heirs of wrath, as if
God had never revealed pardon and mer*
cy to a finful world. To what, then,
is this diftindion owing ? In general it
• N muft
miifl: be owing to this, that feme com-
ply with the terms, on which their jufti-
iication is iiifpendecl, wliile others rejeft
them : for the terms are the lame to all.
God does not ^t\ the part of a Sovereign
here, in juftifying one man, and leaving
another under condemnation. Tho' we
have no right to prelcribe rules of con-
duft to Him ; he has prelcribed them to
Himfolf ; and according to them he in-
variably difpcnies the blcllings of the new
covenant, without refpeti of perfius
Now that God has fufpcnded the juflifi-
cation of finners, not upon faith only, in
the rellrained fenfe, mentioned above ;
but upon faith, confidered as comprehen-
live of repentance from dead works, and
of evangelical obedience^; I rtiall en-
deavour to make manifell by fevcral ar-
guments.
But
• When cvarpclical olcdicncc is faid to.be receflgry in or-
<!er to evangelical jiiflificanon ; the meanirg is rot, that wc
Vniill a(^iially jx-rfoim a great nuriil>cr ot good woricj, fuch is
the ^ofpel rcquirrs, btfvrc wc can be jullificd. True repen-
tance iiicludcj in it fhc principle of obedience ; fo that every
finccre penitent, is t good man, in the qualified fcnfe of fcrip-
lure, even before he Uings Jlrtk Jruiis mctt fur r£pcnt&nc€ :
And he is no fooner fuch, than lie is pardoned and juftified.
It is not imagined, that after his heart is really turned from
fin to God, his juAificttion is ftill fufpcndcd upon his making
t\ih manifdl by his good works ;or by a courfe of external o-
bcdience to the laws of Lhrill : Which notion involves ihofc
who embrtcp it, in many diftcultics. Perhaps a perfon jv|»0
iidicvct the gofpel^ and i$ bco^mc a iiQcerc convert in hit
' ' heart.
Of Jujiijication by Faith. 179
But there is a vulgar prejudice, which Serm,
I would beg leave briefly to obviate, here. VII.
Thofe who aflfert the neceffity of evan-
gelical obedience in order to juftification,
N 2 are
heart, being created anew in Chriji Jefui unto good worhy may
be taken out of the world before he has fcope and opportuni-
ty given him, to exercife the good principle he is poflefled of,
in an obedient life. Shall we fay then, that fuch a man is not
juftified, becaufe he has performed no works of gofpel obedi-
ence ? By no means. His repentance, and inward fubmiilion
to the terms of the gofpel, virtually contain all the good works
which the gofpel requires. In the fight of God, who know-
iih the hearts of men, he had complied with the terms of
mercy and falvation, according t<^ their true intent and mean-
ing, altho' this was not manifefted by his outward condu6^.
His willing and obedient heart, placed him in the clafs of
thofe, to whom the gofpel offers mercy and falvation, tho' he
died before he had time, om of this good trea/urey touring
forth good things . And altho' he had lived ever fo long after
his being thus renewed in the fpirit of his mind ; yet it is c-
vidcnt that he would have been juftified from that very time ;
and antecedently to his doing good works in the fenfc of the
gofpel. The promifes being made to fuch a temper ^ it is un-
reafonable to fuppofe that his juftification would have been
fufpended upon the aftual performance of thofe works of righ-
teoufnefs, which naturally flow therefrom, whenever there is
opportunity for it. Befides ; if the a6lual performa: ce of
good works, is neceflary to juftification ; it may reafonab^y
be iqquired, how many good works arc necefTary to that end ?
and how long a Man muft live, aft«r he is inwardly convert-
ed to God, in order to yield fuch an outward obedience to
his commandments, without vvhich he cannot be juftified ?
Thefe qiieftions, for the fubftance of them, have often been
aflceo ; but never anfwered to the fatibfaftion of impartial, un-
prejudiced men. They arc, indeed, uranfwerablc -, and the
bare prQpi.)ftng of them, is fufficienc to fhow, that They go
upo.n a wrong hypothefis, who fuppofe that any afts of exter-
nal obedience are the ground of our juftification, or necefDr/
in orler ^hereto. That obedience to the gofpel, to which
^h.- promifes of forgivenefs and eternal life are made, is aa
Itearty bdicf, and inward fubmiflion to the termj, of it i fuch
•
i8o Of Jujlification by Faith.
are often accufed of holding, that good
works are meritorious ; and accordingly
they are ranked with the Roman Catholicks
in this refpert. Than which conduft of
their adveriaries, there cannot w ell be a-
ny thing rnore invidious, difingenuous
and abufive. We conftantly difclaim the
doftrine of merit. We aflfert that Chrift,
by Avhat he has done and fullered, has
procured merc}^, juliiiication, and eter-
nal life for us : Altho' we think that we
cannot be juftified, according to the te-
nor of the new covenant,but by faith in,
and lubmifllon to, our blelfed Redeemer.
And even after we have obeyed the gof-
pel, we account it great grace in God to
accept us, and to beitow eternal Life up-
on us. Is rhis to teach that obedience
and good \^ orks merit juftification ! Let
us fee how^ ealily this charge might be
retorted upon thole that bring it. Faith,
or believing, is as much cur atl^ fome-
thing
s fubmiflion thereto, as will, whenever there is opportunity
ax)d fcopc for it, be accompanied with a corrtfponding obedi-
ence of life. And this is all the obcdience/or ihc neceflity of
wliich, in order lo juftification, 1 argue in this, and the fol-
low ii'g difcourfe. Poflibly lomc, who afcribe our juftificati-
on to faith alone, may compichend under the term faith, all
that godly forrow, and ir.ternal fubmiflion to the terms of the
gofpcl, which others intend when they a/l'ert ihc neceflity of
obedience, and deny the fufficicncy of faith to jollify. In thi«
cafe, there is indeed a contradi^gn in wordi » but thc rcil
fcnfc of ihc parties is ihc faiuc. '"
Of Jujiif cation by Faith. 1 8 1
thing done by us, as the loving of God Serm.
or our neighbour. Yea, it is exprefly. VII.
called a Work, by our Saviour himfelf. f Y]o(^-\
Now when they alTert that faith is necel- 28,129.
fary to juflification, and that this alone
julHfies, they attribute as much merit to
faith, as we afcribe to obedience in ge-
neral. Their faith is put into, and holds,
the fame place in this aflfair of juftilicati-
on, with our obedience to the gofpeL
How meritorious with them, is that An-
gle a6t of obedience, believing in Him
whom God bath fent ! No ; they will
doubtlefs tell us, that they do not confi-
der faith as what merits juftification ; but
only fuppofe, that, according to the gof-
pel covenant of grace, the juflification
which Chrill has purchafed, is annexed
to believing ; that the}^ are juflified up-
on account of w^hat He has done and
fuffered, not upon account of the inhe-
rent worth and merit of faith. Very
well : This fufficiently vindicates them
from the imputation of making that one
aft, believing^ meritorious of juftification
and eternal life. And in the fame way
do we clear ourfelves of the charge of
making obedience to the gofpel, meritori-
ous. It is oftly fubftituting the word o-
bedience in the room of faith,thus : " We
" do not coufider obedience as what mcr
N 3 " rits
1 82 Of Jujlijication by Faith.
rits juftification; but only fiippofe, that^
according to the gofpcl covenant of
grace, the juftification which Chriflhas
" purchafed, is annexed to obeying him.
" We are juftiiied upon account of what
" Ho has done and fufFered for us ; not
" upon account- of the inherent worth
" and merit of our obedience.
Putting the matter in this Hght, and
thus turning the tables, does, I think,
fhow, that we arc as far from making o-
bedience in general, meritorious, as tiiey
wiio tax us there with, are from making
their faith fo. For to that faith, to that
one acl of obedience, they afcribc all ihe^
efficacy in the matter of jufiification,
which we afcribe to faith and obedience
conjundly. And altho', in fome of them,
the bringing of fuch an invidious charge
agahift their bretlircn, may be ch^itably
imputed to ignorance ; yet, in others, it
\^ but too evident that it proceeds from
fomctliing clfe.
Having thus premifed what feemed
to be needful, I proceed now more di-
rcclly to what was intended ; namely^ to
fhow, That julHfication, in that fcnfe of
the term, which has been explained a-
bove, accrues to fmners, not by faith con-
ikfered exclufively of, and in diliinc^lion
Irom, repentance and evangelical obedi-
ence;
Of JuJlificatio7i by Faith . 183
cnce ; but by faith, conlkiered in a lar- «^erm.
gcr fenfe, and as really comprehending Y^I-
llich repentance and obedience in it. \\\^
the profecution of which .dgfign, I fhall
do thefe two things :
Firft^ Give fomc general account of
thofe pailages of fcripture,. where faith,
may feem, at firft view, to be oppofed
to obedience ; and to be. made, exclu-
fiyely.of it, the term or condition of juf-
tification, on our part : And I fhall fhow
that there is no real necejfity of putting
fuch a conftruclion vipon them, they be-
ing fairly capable of another. And
SecQudiyy I fhall fliow politively, by
various arguments, that thcy.cannot pojfiblj
be underllood in fuch a fenfe, in any to-
lerable confiftencj with the general doc-
trine of the new teftament : And confe-
quently, that when we arefaid tp be juf-
tilied by faith, faith is not oppofed to e-
vmigelical obedience ; but .is . confidercd
as including it, and the great principle
of it.
Firft, I am to give fome general ac-
count of thoio paflages of fcripture, where
faith may feem, at firft view, to be op-
pofed to obedience ; and'to be made, ex-
ckidvely of it, the term or condition of
JAaitification, on our part : And to fliow,
that tliere is^ao 4-^al necefitj of putting
N 4 * fucU
^^4 Of Jujiijication by Faith.
Serm. fuch a conftmftion upon them, they be*
VII. ing fairly capable of another. It will not
be expefted that I fhould confider all the
pafTages here referred to : I fhall therefore
ielert only a few of the principal of them ;
thofc upon which the greatefl ftrefs has
been laid ; which are in the epiltles of
St. TaiiL And if a fair and natural ac-
count can be given of them, without re-
curring to t\\tfolifidian doctrine, this will
be a clue to the underltanding of all o-
thers, cither exadly parallel, or fnnilar,
to tliem.
We may begin with that of the Apof-
tle in his epiftle to the Romans : There-
fore IV e conclude^ that a man is jujl'fied by
faith without the deeds of the law. [Chap,
3. ver. 28.] Are not faith and obedience
here diftino-uiflied from each other ? And
is not juftiticatioh exprefly attributed to
the former, exclufn ely of the latter ? I
anfwer, that by the law is often intended
thejcwijl) difpenfation, the law of Alofes ;
and by faith, the difpcnlation of Grace
by Jefus Chrift. And if we underlland
the terms thus in this place, the fuppofed
difficulty intirely vaniflies. For then the
meaning of the apoltle will be no more
than this, That a man is juftificd by the
gofpcl,or in the method of the gofpel,even
without obferving the la^v of Mofcsy and
whether
Of Jujiijication by Faith. 185
whether he be Jew or Gentile, The Jews Serm^
cannot be juftified by the lavj, which VII.
they have violated ; but mult have re-
courfe to Chrill, who is the end thereof
for juftification : And the Gentiles may,
in this way, attain to juftification altoge-
ther without the law. So that both of
them are upon one and the fame footing,
with relation to the divine acceptance.
It is the golpel of God's grace alone,
which can juftify either of them ; and in
this method, one may be juftifxed as ^;ell
as the other. Now as the law, and/aith^
meaning thereby the mo/aic, and the e-
vangelical difpenfation, are frequently
oppofed the one to the other in this man-
ner, this interpretation is not unnatural ;
aiftl indeed it is favoured by what imme-
diately follows,— T — Is he the God of the
Jews only ? is he not alfo of the Gentiles ?
Yes, of the Gentiles alfo. Seeing it is one
God, which fimll ■ juftify the circumcifion by
faith, and the uncircumcifion thro faith.
The preceeding context alfo favours
this interpretation. The Apoftle had been
fhowing at large, that the Gentiles had
tranfgrelTed the law of nature ; and the
Jews, the revealed law of God, the law
given by Mofes. From whence he con-
cludes, \yer. 19 and 20] that all the
world, Jews as well as Gentiles, were
become
i86 Of Juftijicaiion by Faith.
become guilty hcjorc God ; and fo could
not plead a legal righteoufnefs for juftifi-
cation. In the three following verfcs
St. Taul fpeaks of that gracious provilion,
which God had made in the gofpel, for
all hnners m common, whether under the
mojaic law, or the law of nature ; for there
is no difference. By faith, by the gofpel,.
or fubmidion thereto, all fniners may at-
tain to jultification. The three next ver-
fcs contain a more particular account of
the method in which this juftification ac-
crues to fmners ; viz. by the grace ofGod^
thro the redemption that is in Chrijl ; ivbom
God hath fct forth to he a propitiation^ &C.
In the next verfe St. Taul triumphs over
the boailino-, felf-riQ:hteous lews, whofe
dependence, for julnncation, was nit
upon the Mercy of God in Chrift, but
upon their legal works, — Where is hoafting
then^ fays he \ It 'is excluded. By what
law ? (f works ? Nay : but by the law of
faith. As if he had laid, what becomes
then of that glorying, to which the Jews
are fo much addie^led I It is entirely pre-
cluded ; and the very foundation of it
delhoved. How is this done ? by the
law of Mofes ? No : but all boalling is
cfFechiallv excluded by the law of faith ;
by the evangelical method of jultification;
Avhich fuppofes that the fubjec^h of it are
tranf-
Ofjujiifxmmi by Vahh. 18-7
tranfgrcfrors ; and which mnft therefore Serm*
be of grace. The words which I pro- ^I^-
pofed to explain, immediately follow ;
and they are an inference drawn from
what had been fiid above ; or rather the
fmti of it, exprcffcd in a few w^ords — —
therefore Tue conclude^ that a man is jufiifed
by faith luithout the deeds of the law. A?
if he had faid, Since therefore the Jews .
have finned as well as the Gentiles ; fince
e~oer-y month ?nufi be flopped ; and all men
be condemned, by lav/ ; and fince God
has'reveakd a gracious method of accep-
tdrite with litm by Chrift, making no
drfeence betwixt jews and Gentiles ;
fince thefe things are fo, we. may be af-
fytxid/ thdx how much focver the Jews
may boaft of their own rigkteoufnefs, which
is of the law^ and defpife the Gentiles ;
yet they neither are, nor can be juftified,
by their obedience to the law of Mofes,
(ir being imperfe<S) but muft have re-
coiirie to the law of faith, to the Gofpel
of God's grace in Chrift Jefus : And in
this way, the Gentiles may attain to juf-
tification as well as they ; even tho' they ,
do not obferve the law of Mofes, not "
have any thing to do with it.
Now fuppofing thiis to be the true, as
it i^ not an unnatural, interpretation of
the pafTage ; it makes nothing in favour
of
Of Jujtifcation by Faith.
of the do6lrine of juftification by faith^
ill the modern jhife o£,tJie term faith ; or
as faith is oppofed to evangelical obedi-
ence. The amount of it is only this^ that
juftification cannot come by the law of
Mojcs ; but only by a compliance with
the gofpel ; by believing it, and heartily
fubmittbjg to it.
Bl'T it has been obferved, tJiat the a-
poitle here fpeaks of the deeds OF LAW,
without the article : .From whence fome
have argued, that he does not mean par-
ticularly the j?ioJaic difpenfation ; but law
in general, law abfolutely taken : And il
fo, it is faid, that faith is here oppofed no
lefs to evangelical works, than to the
deeds of the Jeiuip law : And confe-
quently, that believing juftifies us, exclu-
fjvely of obedience of any kind.
Now tho' the Article is both ufed and
omitted in the ncw-tcllament, in fuch a
manner, tlxat no ftrefs can be laid upon a
criticilm of this fort ; yet I will not con-
tend about that point here. We will, if
you pleafc, take it for granted, that, by
/</ii% the Apolilc intends not particulai'ly
ihc mofuic diipeniation ; but law in the
molt abiblute, unlimited fenfe. Let us
fee to what his words will amount upon
this fuppolition. And I think they will
come nearly to the fame tiling, as to tlie
par-
Of Jujiijication hy PaitL 189
particular point now before us. For then Serm.
St. TatiFs fenfe will be this : That all VIL
men having tranfgrefTed the law they
were refpeclirely under ; the Jews^ the
revealed law of God, and the Gentiles^
the law of nature ; it is impoffible that
any fhould attain to juftification in a way
ftriftly legal. For in order to juftificati-
on by the deeds vflaw, of any law what-
ever, it is neceflary that thofe deeds
Ihould be exadly conformable to tliat
law. And no mans deeds having been
thus conformable to law, it is impoffible
that cithei* Jew or Gentile^ that an}^ man
whatever, Ihould be juftified in that way»
It is neceflary that grace and mercy in-
tervene, in order to the juftification of
a tranfgreflbr. But tho* we are not jufti-
fied by the deeds of law, in the fenfe a-
bove exprefled ; it does not follow that
we are juftified by faith or believing only,
as faith is diftinguifhed from repentance
and newnefs of life. Nor is there any
neceffity of fuppofmg that the apoftle here
ufes the term faith in that reftrained fenfe.
Altho' we fliould fuppofe that faith is here
ufed as comprehenfive of evangelical o-
bedience, when we are faid to be juftifi-
ed thereby ; this would not be inconfift:-
ent with what is immediately added,
v/ithoHt tk deeds of law* There is no con-
U'adidion
iQO Of JuJIificatmi by Faith.
tradiclion in iaying that we are juftificd
by faith, including fubjcclion and obedi-
ence to Chriit in our idea of faith ; and
laying, at the lame time, that we are not
julHlied by the ilcccis of law : For the lat-
ter is only faying, in other words, that
we are not jultified by a perfect righteouf-
uefs ; or by works exaclly conformable
to law. In Ihort, tho' faith is here op-
pofcd to the (lecik ofla-iO, it is not oppof-
ed to repentance, and evangelical holi-
nefs ; but only to fuch a righteoufnefs as
w^ould juilify a man in die eye and fenfc
of law ; and lb be hiconliitent with grace
in the Law-giver.
Whether, therefore, the Apoftle is
fpeaking only of the law of Mojes, or of
law in the molt unlimited, abfolute (tnCe ;
it comes exadly to the lame thing, as to
the point now in qucltion. Upon nei-
ther of the fuppofitions is there any need
gf underiianding him as oppoling faith,
to the obedience of faith, or to gofpcl
holinefs ; but only to the deeds of law,
in tl.Hit jenje whcrciii he ufes thefe terms :
Which fenle is manifeitly this, viz, work§
exadly corrcfpoiiding to the demands of
law, whether that of Mojis, or that of
mturc. Jn tliis fenfe, it is indeed evident,
that no man is juftified by the deeds di
law \ bccaulc, as the apoiUc obleryes, all
have
Of "Jujlification by Faith. i g r
have finned. But it may be ftill tme that Serm.
we are juitified by our obedience to the VII.
golpel of Chrift.
But I will go one ftep further here,
by way of conceffion ; and allow, for the
prefent, that the Apoftle oppofes faith,
* not only to a legal rightebufnejs^ but even
to all external acls of evangelical obedience.
And even this fuppofitioii will not mili-
tate in the leaft degree, againit any thing
I have laid ; or favour the common
folifidian doftrine. A6ls of external obe-^
dience, or good works, mod properly fo
called, are fuch as proceed from an obe-
dient and good heart ; from a righteous
principle within. It is the good tree only,
that bringcth forth good fruit ; and it is
only a good^ man^ out of the good treajtire
in his hearty that bringeth forth gr^d things.
An holy principle within, is confidered
in fcripture as prior to good works ; the
latter being the exertions and operations
of the former. And, as was faid iw the
former part of this difcourfe, a man is
juftified in the fenfe of the gofpel, and in
the fight of God, affoon as he is polTefled
of this good principle ; and, therefore,
antecedently to his doing any of thofe good
works, which flow from it : Yea, he is
juftified, tho' he fhould not live to per-
form any good works at all. So that it
may
1 9^2 Of yuftification hy Faith.
Sf.rm. may be allowed, coniiltcntly enough with
VII. what has been faid, that the apoltle here
oppofes faith, to all external a8s of o-
bcdience in general ; whetlier of o-
bedicnce to law, or to the gofpel. But
yet it will not follow, that he oppoies it
to a principle of goodnefs and holinefs in*
the heart ; the neceflity of which princi-
ple, in order to our juftitication in the
iiglit of God, is all that I am arguing for.
Tho' this principle, wlierever it is, will
be actually, and always, productive of
an obedient life, provided there is time
and fcope given for it to exert itfelf So
that none can be poiTeffed thereof, ex-
cepting thofe, whofe external conduCl is
agreeable to the precepts of Chrillianity.
— According to this laft explanation of
the apoftle's words, faith is confidered as
virtually and radically, containing evan-
gelical obedience ; not as fomething dif-
tinc^l from it ; And therefore St. Taul
does not here teach the dot^trine of jufti-
fi cation by faith, in the modern fenje ; but
the contrary.
It appears, if I miftake not, from
what has been faid above, that there is
no neccffity of underftanding the apoftle,
in this place as oppofing faith to obedi-
ence, in the way that many interpret
him ; or as aflcrtiiig tliat wc are juftified
by
Of jfujiijication by FaitL 193
by faith exclufively of obedience. JIIsSerm*
words will fairly admit of a diiferent VIL
fenfe ; which is fufficient to my prefent
purpofe*
The next paflage I fhall Confider^
wherein faith and obedience may feem
to be oppofed to each other, is Rom, 9.
3 1 , i^c^—'But IJrael 'which followed after
the law of right eoufnefs^ hath not attained to
the law of right eoufnefs ? Wherefore ? Be--
taufe they fought it not by faith ; hut as it
were by the works of the law. This paflage
coincides fo nearly^ in fenfe and defigiii
with that which we have been confider-
ing, that the lefs needs to be faid upon it*
By Ifrads following after the law of right e*^
cufnefs^ is intended the Jews endeavour*-
ing to work out, or to perform, luch a
fighteoufnefs, as would, of itfelf and in
its own nature,be fufficient to juftify them
in the fight of God. They hoped to be
juftified merely by a ftrift adherence to,
and obfervation of the law of Mofes^
However, in the language of the apollle^
tliey did not attain to the law of righteouf
fiefs : /. e, they did not attain to that juf-»
tification unto life, which they Were in
purfuit of ; but failed in the attempt*
Wherefore ? How does it come to pafs^
that they did not attain to juftifxcation I
This queftion the apoitk anfweAS in the
% ' O next
194 Df y-uftljication by Faith.
Sf7M. next words. It was bccaufc they fought
VII. to be julliiied in an improper m.iniier ;
in a way wherein it is iaipoilii)le that a-
n\" fhoLild be juitiiied ; negleding that
method which God had pointed out. It
was bccaufe they fought it, not by faith ^ but
us it were by the luorks of the law : or, by
ivoi'ks of law ; (tor tlie article is here o-
mitted.) Tlie plain meaning is, that the
generality of the Jews of tliis corrupt age,
had rejcded the Meffiah, inftead of fub^
mitting to him, and feeking juliification
and eternal life, by him : They imagin-
ed, that they were to be juftiiied merely
by obedience to law ; and that they ftood
in no need of the grace of the goipel.
For which reafon, they did not attain to
julUlication ; it being impollible thatjuili-
iication fhould come by law, unlefs where
there is a perfeB conformity thereto.
It is manifeft, that law, not tempered and
relaxed by grace, mult condemn all tlK;fe
that fall ihort of the perfe^^tion required
by it. So that the Jcws^ whofe fole de-
pendence was upon their owji legal righ-
teoufnefs, could not, in the nature of the
thine;, be juttified in this wav. Whereas
the (j entiles (as the apoftle obferves in the
preceeding verfe) which followed Not after
righteou/nc(sy attained to righteoufnc/s, even
the righteoiifncfs which is of faith : i. <r. The
Gentiles^
Of yuftification by Faith. 195
Gentiles, who did not pretend to workSE^M.
out fuch a right eoufnefs as would entitle V^^-
them to juftilication in the eye of law ; ^— ^—^
obtained jullification notwithftanding ;
njiz, that, juftification which God has re^
vealed in the gofpel, thro' faith.
There is furely no necejfity oi fup-
pofing that faitli and evangelical obedi-
ence are here oppofed to each other ; as
if righteoulhefs, or jujiification, came by
the former, and not by the latter. Faith
is only oppofed to an imaginary, legal
righteoufnefs ; fuch a one as the Jeius
trufted to, defpifing and rejecting the
grace of the gofpel. And this paflage
will receive farther illuftration from ano-
ther, in the loth Chap, of the fame cpif-
tle, Ter. 3 and 4. The apoftle fays, that
the JewSy being ignorant of the righteoufnefs
of God y and going about to eflablif their own
right eoufnefs y have not fubrn'itted themfelves
to the righteoufnefs of God, For Chrift,
fays he, is the end of the law for righteouf
nefs to every one that believeth. The fenfe
is : — Altho' the niofaic difpenfation was
never deligned for a law, in the exact
obfervation of which, the Jews were to
be accepted and juftified of God ; but had
a typical reference to the Mejfiah, thro'
whom, in a way of grace, juftification
comes ; yet the Jews being ignorant of
I O 2 this
ig6 Of Jujlijication by Faith*
Serm. this method of juftific^.tion thro' grace,
vn. Avliich God has ordained for finners *
having perverted the law, wliich had a
Jljadrjiu of good tbijigs to come, from its ori-
ginal meaning and true defign j and vain-
ly attempting to work out fuch a righte-
oufnefs as would render the intervening
of grace needlcfs ; fuch a one, as might
give them a title to j unification upon the
footing of mere law^ ; the Jews having
thus miitaken the matter, have not iub-
mittcd to, but oppofcd, that method of
jvilHlication which God has ordained and
revealed, thro' faith. For Chrill is typi-
fied and prefigured in tlie law itfelf, as
the end of it, for jullification, to all thofc
who believe in, and fubjecl themfelves to,
Him. Is there any ncceffitv of fup-
pofing that the apolUc here oppofes be-
lieving in Clirill, to obeying his gofpel ?
It is pain, that he oppofe. believing, on-
ly to the conducl of the Jews, who went
about to ejiablip their own rtghteoufvels ;
i. e. who expected to be jultified upon
the footing of mere law ; not being fen-
lible that they fell ib ihort of the righte-
oufnefs required tlicrein, as to ftand in
need of the grace of the Gofpel ; and
who, therefore, rejcL^led the promifed
Saviour. This palTage is, I tlihik, ex-
adly parallel to that, coniidered above.
And
Of yuftification by Faith. k^'j
And in both of them, the term /^/Y/; is u- Serm.
led in a complex fenle, for believing in VII.
Chrift, and lincerely obeying his golpel ;
not in the reilrained fenie oflbme modern
divines ; as if our juftification v^ere fuf-
pended on the former, exclufively of the
latter : For wliich notion there is no foun-
dation in the new-tellament.
Another paffiige of fcripture, where
faith and obedience may feem to be op-
pofed one to the other, is Eph. 2, 8, 9.
for by grace are ye faved thro faith ; (and
that not of your f elves ; it is the gift of God)
tiQt ofzuorks^ left any man f mild hoaft, Thofe
words [and that not of yourfelves ; it is
the gift of God] are incidental in the a-
poftle's difcourfe ; and the fcnfe of them
has been much controverted. And fmce
it is not neceffary that the meaning of
them fliould be afcertained, in order to a
refolution of the particular point now be-
fore us, I fhall pafs them over at prefent,
and conilder the paffage independently of
them. By grace are ye faved thro faith — -
not of ivorks^ left any man Jhould hoaft.
" Does not the apoftle (as fome argue)
here plainly oppofe gofpel faith, and gof-
pel obedience to each other I .Does he
not afcribe our jullification wholly to the
former ; and deny that the latter is any
caufe or ground thereof I Is it not upon
O 3 this
' 9 8 ^f J^Pfication by Faith.
this foundation that he fays, our falvati-
on is of grace ? And does he not intimate,
that if works, or obedience, came in
here, there would befome caufe of boa/i-
ing ? Whereas, if we are juftiiied folely
by fliith, or believing, there will be no
room left for men to glory : All boafting
will then be excluded." To this I an-
fwer,
ill. That the apoftle is not here
fpcaking particularly concerning our juf-
tification ; but concerning our falvation
in c^cncral : " By grace are yc/wved.'*
2dly. Even thofc who affert the doc-
trine of juftifi cation by faith only, in op-
pofition to evangelical obedience, gene-
rally hold the neceffity of works, or obe-
dience, in order to falvation : (a diftinfti-
on, the vanity of which will be fhown in
the next difcourfe) So that this pafPage
cither proves nothing to their purpofe ;
or it proA'cs too much ; and more than
they are willing to allow, viz. that wd
are not only julHfied, but favcd, with-
out works.
3dly. If it had been the apolllc's in-
tention to exclude every tl)ing done by
man, fmm being any occafion, ground
or condition, of his Acceptance with
God ; (that fo all caufe of boalling might
be taken away) he mull tlien have ex- •
eluded
Of Juftijication by FJtb. 199
eluded faith alfo : For believing is our Serm.
own ad ; and cxprefly called a worky by Vll.
our Saviour, as has been obferved before.
Wnereas St. Taul fays, on the contrary,'
that we are faved hy grace thro faith. I
would, if poilible, exprefs what I here
intend, fo es not to be mifunderftood. It
is faid by fome, that if om juflification
and acceptance with God, depended up-
on our obeying the Gofpel ; upon any
thing we do, be it what it will ; then
we fhould be julliiicd, not by grace, but
by works ; and confequently there would
be room left for boaftnig^ which is not to.
be allowed. Well then, believing inChrift
is our ow^n ad ; it is our work, tho' not
done without the divine Afllftince. E-
ven this, mull: therefore be excluded, ac-
cording to the prefent argument,left fome
ground of boafting fhould remain. Faith
is as much excluded, by the prefent ar-
gument, from having any hand in our
juftification, as obedience in any other
rcfped. For whether our juftification
depend upon one aft of obedience, viz.
believing ; or whether it depends upon
ynany^ there is ftill caufe of boalling, if
this way of reafoning be juft. We may
therefore conclude, that this method of
arguing is not good ; becaufe it proves
too much I and even makes the apollle
O 4 contradii^
200 Of yujiijication by Faith,
contradifl himfclf ; for, tho' he difallowa..
of boalting, yet he aiferts that our falva-
tion is conneded with fomething which
we do. —
4thly. All occafion of boading feema
to be taken away, if we exclude works
from being any meritorious caufe of our
jultilication and falvation ; even tho' they
are not exckidcd from being the conditi-
on of it. If w^e acknowledge our obedi-
ence is very imperfeft, fo that we cannot
be juftitied upon the footing of mere law ;
if we acknowledge, that we cannot claim
Salvation as our due, by virtue of any
works of righteoufnefs which we have
done ; if we acknowledge ourfelves in-
debted for it to the grace of God in Jcfus
Chrift ; this, furely, leaves no room for
boalHng ; tho' we may ftill very confif-
tcntly hold, that our juftitication is fuf-
pended upon our hearty fubmiilion to
Chrilt, and fmcere obedience to his com-
mandments. The aflbrting of this is not
contradiding what the apoftle fays, that
we are not faved by ix'orks ; but perfectly
confident therewith. He intends no
more, than that we are not faved upoi;
the footing of mere law ; by fuch worki
as w^ould exclude grace ; and leave room
for boalting. And his meaning, I hum-
bly conceive, noigUt be cxprcfled tliiis,
more
Of JuJiificatio?t by Faith . 201
more at large. '* Take heed, that ye Sfrm.
do not exalt yourfelves, or over-rate your VIL
Qwn works, to the diihonoriiig and fub-,
vertmg of the grace of God : For it is by
His grace and free bounty, that you are
faved ; not in the way of obedience to
law, confidered as a covenant of works ;
but in the way of faith, which is reveal-
ed thro' Chrift, to the tranfgreflbrs of
Law. You are not faved by works, or
by a legal obedience ; or on account of
the intrinfick value and merit of any
thing you do. You have not obej^ed a-
uy law of works fo perfectly, that falva-
tion becomes your due. And of tliis I
admonifh you, left any man fliould proud-
ly boaft ; or think more highly of him-
felf and his works than he ought to do,
to the diflionor of divine grace."
This appears to me to be the true fenfe
of the Apoftle. And if it is, the pafTage
does not favour the doc1:rine of juftifica-
txoa by faith alone, in the modern fenfe of
the terms : But is perfectly confittent
with the contrary fcheme ; wherein obe-
dience to the golpel is fuppofed necellary
in order to our acceptance with God.
There is a wide difference betwixt faying,
that we are juftified and faved by works,
merely upon the footing of law ; (which
is what the Apoftl(? dcmes) and faying,
that
20 2 Of yujiijication by Faith.
that wcare juftificd and fa vccl,by believing
in, and iubmitting to Him that was the
End of the laiv for rtghteouftiefs ; and who
]ias redeemed us from tlie curfe tliereof :
(Which is what he denies not.) The
former is, indeed, to fubvert the grace of
the gofpel, and to leave room for boait-
ing ; the latter does neither ; but duly
exalts the grace of God ; and leads us to
thi^k foheriy of ourfelves^ as we ought tQ
think.
It is hoped, that what has been faid
upon thefe fcveral paflages of fcripture,
may ferve in fome meallire for the illul-
tration of others, which f peak of our be-
ing jultified by faith, and not by works.
Tho' I do not pretend, as yet, to have
proved any thing jiiore, than that thefe
pafTages do not ellablifh the doilrine
which they are commonly alledged in
fupport of. And this, certainlv, they do
not ; bccaufc they fairly admit of another
condrucHon, than that which is put up-
on them. If I have (Jiown,that there is no
ftccejjltj of fiippofing, that the iacred wri-
ters intended, in thefe pallagcs, which
fpeak of fiithand works, to oppofe faith
to evangelical obedience ; this was all
that I propofcd to do, at prcfent. In
my next difcourfe, I fliall (how, that
they cannot poliibly be imdcrltood tiius
in
Of Jujiif cation by Faith. 203
in any tolerable confiftency with the ge- Serm.
neral doftrine of Scripture ; and confe- VH.
quently, that when we are faid to be
juflified by Faith ^ the term faith is ufcd
in fuch a latitude, as to involve in it that
obedience to the gofpel, the neceffity of
which was to be made evident.
SERMON
204
SERMON VIII.
Of Juftification by Faith.
James I. 2r, 22.
L^ )^ j/>^r/ ^// fihhinefs and fttperflttity of
7iaught'incfsy and receive with vieeknejs the
ingrafted u^ordy which is able to fave jour
fjuls. But be ye doers of the word, and
not hearers on/jy deceiving your ownfelves.
IT is a very obvious inference from this
pafHigc of Scripture, Tliat in order to
the Sahation of our Souls, it is neceflary
'\vc fliould be doers of the word, as well as
hearers and believers of it ; and that they
who expert to be faved upon any other
tcrnis,delude,and impofe upon,themfelves.
How ever, there is great reafon to fear,
that many perlbns do adually thus deceive
their own felvesy in a matter of the lall
importance; fondly imagining, from what
' tlie
Of Jujiijication by Faith. 205
the fcriptiire fays concerning onr being Serm.
faved by grace ; being found in Chrijly mt VIII.
having our own rigbteoiijnejs ; and being
juftified by faith ; that obedience to the
gofpel, is not an indifpenfable condition
of our obtaining eternal life. I have
therefore, in feveral difcourfes, been en*
deavouring to undeceive thofe, who may
have thus deceived themfeJves ; and to
guard others againft the like fatal de^
lufion.
In my laft difcourfe, I entered upon a
confideration of thofe paffages of fcrip-
ture, wherein our jullification with Godj
is faid to be by faith ; by faith ivithout
*works ; without the deeds oflaiv, and the
like. From whence many have conclud-
ed, that obedience to the Gofpel was not
neceflfary in order to our being juftified \
but that faith alone, (in the modern re-
ftrained fenfe of the term, as it is diftin-
guiflied from repentance and newnefs of
life) is available thereto. It has. been
fhown that there is no neceffity of under-
ftanding the palTages intended, in this
fenfe ; and that a fair and intelligible ac-
count may be given of them, without
having recourfe to the modern felifidiatt
do<!Arine. There is no need of fiippofing,
that when the apoftles oppofe faith and
works to each other, alferting that we
arc
2o6 Of Ji/Jlijication by Faith.
are juftified by the former exclufivcly of
tlic latter, they intended to oppofe faith,
to repentance and evangelical obedience.
No more w^ be intended by thefe ex-
preflions, than that we arc not juftified
upon the footing of mere law ; but by the
grace of God revealed m the GofpeL
But I proceed now, as was propofed
in the Second Place, to fhow, That the
pallages of fcripture, which fpeak of our
being jujlified by faith ^without the deeds of
la-zuy Sec. ca?iKot pcjfibly mean, That we are
juititicd by faith, as dillinguiflied from re-
pentance and new obedience, in any to-
lerable confiftency with the general doc-
trine of fcripture : And that it is abfo-
lutely necellary to underftand the term
faith, in fuch paffages, in a larger fenfe ;
as comprehending repentance and evan-
gelical obedience in it ; not as contradif-
tinguifhed therefrom.
To make which point evident, I mufl
juft remind you of what was faid, in the
foregoing dilcourfe, concerning the fcrip-
ture-notion of julHfication, and the blef-
fingsand privileges included in it, as it re-
fpecls us, finful creatures. JulHfication,.
as was there premifed, hivolves in it, the
remillion of fms, tlic acceptance of our
perlbns to the favour and friendihip of
God, aud a. tide to eternal life in the
kingdom
Of Jujiif cation hy Faith. 207
kingdom of heaven. Tiiis is the IdeaSFRM.
which the holy fcriptures give us of jufti- VIII.
fication. f And I defire that this may be "^^^ '
kept in mind ; otherwife the enfuing dif- f vid.
courfe will not be fully underftood. Serm. 7.
Now, That/^/V/;, when we are faid "^i^l^i-^^,
to be juftified thereby, without the deeds of
luv}^ &c. cannot mean faith, exclufively
<)f repentance and obedience ; but mufl
intend faith, confidered as the principle
of evangelical holinefs, and as virtually
comprehending it, will appear from the
following confiderations.
I. Whatsoever is necefTary in or-
der to the forgivenefs of fins, is alfo ne-
ceflary in order to juftification ; becaufe
the pardon of fm is a principal part of
our juftification. It is a manifeft re-
pugnancy to fay, that we can be jufti-
fied without that which is necefTary to
our forgivenefs, if forgivenefs is includ-
ed in the idea of juftification. This
would be, in efTcct, to fay, that w^e are
juftified without, and independently of,
that upon which our juftification is fuf-
pended. Since juftification before God,
involves in it the paffing by our offen-
ces, we cannot, certainly, become the
fubjefts of it, till we have complied with
thofe terms, on which God has exprefly
made our forgivenefs witli, hiiu to depend.
And
2o8 Of Jujlijication hy Faith.
Sfrv. And if we look into the new-tcftamenf,
Vin. we fhall find, that God has fufpended
our forgivenefs with him, upon our for-
giving thofe that have injured us. " If
ye forgive men their trefpafTes, fays our
Saviour, your heavenly Father will alfo
forgive your trefpafles : But if ye forgive
not men their trefpafTes, neither will your
heavenly Father forgive your trefpafles."
Since then, the forgiving of our neigh-
bour is neceflTary to our forgivenefs ; it
muft be equally neceflary in order to our
juftification ; unlefs any will fay, that
we may be juflified without being for--
given : i. e. in effec^f, be pardoned with-
out being pardoned. For it really comes
to this, if pardon is included in juftifica-
tion, and an eflential part of it. *
Now fince, at leaft, that one chriftian
duty of forgiving an offending brother, is
tequifite in order to our being forgiven
ourfelves ; and, confcqucntly, in order
to our being juflified ; how can the faith,
by which we are faid to be juftificd, be
oppofed to chriftian obedience ? or un-
derftood exclufively of it ? Is it not a ma-
nifeft
• That juftificition ccmprifcs in it the pirdon of fin, wtf
ftiown in the prccecding difcourfc : Nor will this be deni-
ed by ihofc who are the moft likely to deny the gcnerd
doftrinc here advai.ced ; fince juftification is thus defined
io the Ajfembiyt Catechi/m, ** Juftification is an a^ of
•• God'j f/cc grace, wherein he pardoncih all our fins, &c.
Of Jujlijicatton by Faith. 209
nifeft contradiction to fay, that we are Serm.
juftified by faith alone, in the modern "^1^^-
fenfe, by faith as diftingiiifhed from obe-
dience ; and yet to fay, that our forgive-
nefs with. God ( a primary and prin^al
branch ofourjuftification)is fufpendedon
the condition of forgiving our neigiibour
his trefpalTes ? There cannot well be a
greater folecifm, or repugnancy. We
are therefore reduced to this neceffity ; to
this dilemma : We muft either deny, that
our forgivenefs is fufpended upon our for-
giving others ; (tho' our Saviour has ex-
prefly afferted it) or elfe we muft ac-
knowledge, that the faith, by which we
are juftified, involves obedience in it, in-
ftead of being oppofed thereto. The al-
ternative is unavoidable ; there is no me-
dium in this cafe, if pardon is an eflential
part of juftification ; which is now taken
for granted.
This is fufEcient to fliow in general,
that the vulgar notion of juftification by
faith alone, cannot be true. It is at leaft
necelTary, that we add to our faith, that
one virtue of forgiving others their tref-
paffes. And here I may alk. Whether,
lince this one is required, in order to our
being pardoned and juftified, it is not
reafonable to fuppofe, that all other
cloriftian vu'tues are necelTary to the fame
L::.. P end >
2IO Of Jujlijication by Faith.
end ? What ground is there to imagine,
that this one duty is miide necclTary, and
that others, of equal importance, are un-
necelTary I Our Saviour's paiticularly
mentioning and requiring this, does not
exclude other:^ ; but it may be naturally
inferred, that all other evangelical graces
and virtues arc neceilary lilvcwife : Efpc-
cially fince no good reafon can be aflign-
ed, why our pardon and juftification
fliould be fufpended upon this, rather than
upon many other duties of Chriftianity ;
fuch as the love or fear of God, love and
gratitude to our Saviour, and jliftice to-
wards man. Indeed if there is fuch a
natural and neceflary connexion betwixt
tlie fcvcral graces and virtues of Chriiiia-
nity, as fomc fuppofc ; if he that is defti-
tute of one, mull needs be deftitute of
all ; and if he that is pofTcfTed of one,
mull alio be the iiibjccl of all ; it follows,
that they ar^ all equally necelFary to par-
don and j unification, or equally unnecef-
fary: So that the requiring of any one, is,
in efled, the requiring of all ; and if there
is any one, which is not neceflary, no
other can be neceflary. This is, ijideed,
only an argument ad hominem. And be-
caufe I am not certain, that there is real-
1}^ any iuch necefl^ary concatenation or
comicxion, bet^^ixt the various graces
and
Of yujiijication by Faith. 211
ilild virtues of Chriflianity, I fliall not in- oERM.
fift upon it. But, VIII.
2dly, That faith cannot be oppofed
to evangelical obedience, when we are
faid to be juftified thereby, appears from
the fcripture-dodrine of repentance. It
will not, I fuppofe, be denied, that par-
don, or the forgivenefs of fins, is fuf-
pended on our repentance. But becaufe
thofe, with whom I am concerned, can
deny almoft any thing, I (hall prove this
point before I deduce the confequence
intended. The few paflages following
may fuffice — " Let the wicked forfake
his way, and the unrighteous man his
thoughts ; and let him return unto the
Lord, and he will have mercy upon him ;
and to our God, for he will abundantly
pardon."—" I have no pleafure in the
death of him that dieth ; but that the
wicked forfake his way and live"' — ." Ex-
cept ye repent, ye fhall all likewife per-
ifh."— " That repentance and remiffion
of fins fliould be preached in his name.'*
— '" Repent and be converted, that your
fins may be blotted out." — -" Teftifyiiig,
both to the Jews, and alfo to the Greeks,
repentance towards God, and faith to-
wards our Lord Jefus Chrift."— " He
tliat covereth his Sins fiiall not profper ;.
but whofo confelTeth and forfaketh them,
P a Ihall
212 Of Jujiif cation by Faith.
fhall find mercy/' — *' If vvc coiifcfs our
fins, he is faithful and ju(l to forgive us our
lins, and to cleanfe.us from all unrigh-
tcoufnefs." — - Thcfc paflagcs abundantly
Ihow, that our forgivcncfs, pardoji, or
acceptance to the divine favour, depends
upon our repenting of our hns ; that eve-
ry true penitent fliall obtain mercy ■; and
that all impenitent tranlgrcflbrs Ihall final-
ly be condemned.
• Now if repentance is really neceflary
in order to our obtaining pardon, it mull
be equally neceflary in order to our being
juftified : Since, as has more than once
been obferved, our pardon is involved in
our juftilication, and is an eflential and
principal part of it. It is impoflible we
iliould be jurtified without that repen-
tance, which is neceflary to the pardon
of our fins : for this ^a ere to fuppole, that
juflification is ibmething diflincl: from,
and prior to, our forgivenels. Repen-
tance, then, being necellary in order to
our being pardoned ; and therelbre nc-
cefli\ry in order to oin* being jullified ;
let us briefly confider the fcripturc notion
of repentance ; and what is implied in it.
Now it'is manifeft, that by repentance,
the fcripturc intends, a turning from fin
to God, accompanied with humiliation
and Ibrrow for having olicndcd Hini. It
is
Of yujiijication by Faith. 2 1 3
is a principle of holinefs and univcrfal o- Serm.
bcdience ; the beginning of a new life, . VIII.
devoted to God and his Service. Evan-
gelical repentance, therefore, comprifes;
in it, evangehcal obedience : So tha^ if
the former be neceflary in order to par-
don, and j unification unto life, the latter
muft be fo too. To fay, that repentance
is neceffar}^, and 3^et to fay that the for-
faking of our fins, and entering upon a
courfe of obedience to God's command-
ments, (in which repentance confifts) is
unneceiTary, is a plain contradiction .
From thefe premifes, the conclufion
is very obvious to thofc who will, with-
out prejudice, attend to it ; viz. That
we are not juftiiied by faith alone, exclu-
fively of evangelical obedience ; but by
faith, confidered as the beginning, and
the great principle of it. Is there not a
very manifeft repugnancy betwixt thefe
itwo propofitions ? — Repentance, which
involves in it a turning from fin to God»
is neceflary in order to our forgivenefs
and juftification : — But yet faith alone,
as diftinguifhed from repentance and new
obedience, juftifies us. He muft have a
head peculiarly turned for making fubtile
diftindions, that will undertake to recon-
cile them. They are contradictory ; and
fince the former of thefe propofitions has
P 3 been
214 ^f yujltficatmi by Faith.
been proved true, the latter muft, of
courfc, be falfe.
The reafoning under this head, may
perhaps feem intricate and abftrufe to
Ibme. But the argument, if I miftakc
not, is ftridly conckifive. The fum of
it is this — Pardon being an effential part
of our juftification ; and repentance be-
ing neceflary in order to pardon, repen-
tance muft alfo be neceflary in order to
juftification. And fince repentance in-
volves evangehcal obedience in it, and is,
indeed, the beginning of it ; fuch obedi-
ence muft alfo be necelfary in order to our
being juftified. And therefore, when the
fcriptures fpeak of our being juitiliedby
faith^ faith cannot be oppofed to obedience^
in the modern way of interpretation ; but
muft comprehend it. So that thofe paf-
fages of fcripture, lb much infifted upon
by the SoUfidlans^ are not only capable of
a different fenfe from that which they
put upon them ; but there is an abfohitc
veccjjity of interpreting tliem otherwile.
Indeed if the pardon of fin is* not an cf-
fential part of our juftification ; or if re-
pentance is not neceflary in order to par-
doji ; or, laftly, if repentance does not
involve in it a turning from dead works^
to fcrvc the liv'Djg God ; then the argu-
ment iifcd above, is inconcluiive ; and
faith
Of yufitjication by Faiths 215
faith alone may jultify. But if thofe po- Serm.
fitions are true, as they evidently are, ^HI.
the modern notion of juflification by faith
alone, muft be both falfe and futile : And
the advocates for it, amufe theiaifelvcs
with the mere found of words.
3 dly , Whatsoever is neceffary , in
order to our beii^g at peace withGod, and
becoming the obje6ts of his peculiar love
and complacency, is neceffary in order
to our juflification. But in order to our
being at peace with God, and becoming
the objefts of his fpecial love and compla-
cency, it is neceffary that we forfake our
Sins, and obey the Gofpel : This is there-
fore neceffary in order to our juflification.
The two propofitions from whence this
conclufion is drawn, I fhall briefly prove.
Try. former of them is. That what-
foever is neceffary in order to our being
at peace with God, and becoming the
obje^ls of his peculiar love and compla-
cency, is neceflary in order to our jufli-
fication : The proof of which is fhort and
eafy. It is in our juflification, that we
commence the objecls of the divine love,
as expreffed in the propofition ; neither
before we are juflified, nor afterwards ;
but at the fame inflant. And indeed our
being thus reconciled to, and at peace
with, our Maker, is not any thing really
P 4 ^ dimna
Of yujlifcatmi by Faith.
diflincl from our being juftificd ; but one
of the blcffings or privileges implied
therein. So that our becoming the ob-
jects of God's fpccial love, is not only
coiemporary with our juftification ; but
the former is involved in the latter, infe-
parable from it, and an cflential part of
that compound idea. It is a contradicti-
on to fuppofe a man juflified, without
fuppofing him beloved of God ; or "oicc
vcr/d, beloved of God, and yet not jufti-
fied. The ideas are coincident, and mu-
tually imply each other : So that whofb-
ever is julUScd, is at peace with God,
and the objccl of his complacency ; and
Vhofoever is thus at peace with God, is
jullified of him. Now thcfe ideas ( or
thelc things ) beina: thus coincident, thus
infeparablc, and thus mutually inferring
and implying each other, it is a contra-
diction to fuppofe that any thing fliould
be requilite in order to one, which is not
equally requifite in order to the other.
To fuppofe that our being beloved of
God, depends upon one condition, and
our being juflified, on another condition ;
is to fuppofe thele things dilHnd, ajid fe-
parable from each other ; which they are
not, according to the fcripture account
of them. We arc therefore, if we ad-
here to this account, obliged to own,
that
Of yujiijication by Faith. 217
that wliatibever God has reqmred of us Sf.rm.
m ordLT to Gonciiiate his fpecial love and VIII.
friendlliip, is equally required in order to ' ^
our being juililied of him. Certainly
more cannot be neceffary in order to the
former, than is necelfary in order to the
latter : For if more were neceffary, it
would follow, that we might be jultified
without, and antecedently to our being
in a ftate of favour and friendlhip wdth
God ; which w^ere a manifeft repug-
nancy.
The other propofition to be proved, i?,
That, in order to our becoming the ob-
jects of God's fpecial love, it is necellar}^,
that we fori'ake our fins, and obey the
gofpel : The proof of which is ftill more
plain and dire<?t. For there is no peace ^
faith God, to the wicked. He has faid,
that he is angry with the wicked every day ;
and that if they turn not he will whet his
Jword No one, in ihort, can look in-
to his bible, without finding the wrath of
God there revealed from heaven againjl all
ungodlinefs and iinrighteoufefs of men ; a-
gainfl all impenitent and unreformed Sin-
ners. So far are perfons of this charafter
from being the objefts of God's fpecial
love and complacency ! The doftrine of
fcripture, from Genefts to the Revelation
of St. John^ is, that io long as men perfe-
vcre
2 1 8 Of Jujlijlcation by Faith.
Sf.rm. vere in their evil ways, they are at en*
VIII. niity with God, and abhorred of liim ;
that they cannot be reconciled to Him,
or He to them, without turning their feet
into his tejlimonics. This is what the
fcripturc, thro'out, reprelents to us as iu-
difpcniably nccelFary, in order to our be-
ing at peace with our offended Maker ;
and to our being beloved of him as his
fervants and children.
The conclufion follows of coui*fe, '■j/z.
that we cannot be juftified without, oc
:intecedently to, our thus turning unto
God, and doing the will of our Father
which is in Heaven-. Becaufe, as was
laid before, whatfoever is requifite in or-
der to the former, muft, in the nature of
the thing, be equally neceffary in order
to the latter. Whenever the fcripturc
fpeaks of our being jultified by faith ^
there is, therefore, a neceflity of under-
ftanding the term faith ^ in a complex fenfe ;
not as it is contradiiHnguifhcd from re-
pentance and obedience, but in fuch a
latitude as to include them. For other-
wife there will be an irreconcilcable con-
tradidion betuixt thole palHiges of Scrip-
ture, and many otiiers : I now mean,
more particularly, .fuch as make the fpr-
fiiking of our fins, and the keeping of
God's commandments, neceffary in or-?
der
Of yufiijicatton hy Faith. 2 1 9
der to our becoming the objects ofhisSfiRM.
paternal love and Javour. If this is ne- ^^L
cefTary, it is abfurd, and even a plain' ^^
contradidion to imagine, that we can be
juftified by faith only ; uiiderltanding faith
in the modern rcftrained fenfe ; and as it
is oppofed to gofpel-obedicnce.
4thly, Whatsoever is necefTary,
according to the terms laid down in the
gofpel, iji order to oiir having a title to
eternal life in the kingdom of heaven, is
neceflary in order to our being juftified
in this world. But in order to our hav-
ing fuch a title, it is necefTary, that we
repent of our lins, and obey the gofpel :
This is, therefore, necefTary in order to
our jullification.
The former propofition is, that what-
ever the gofpel makes necefTary in order
to our having a title to eternal life hereaf-
ter, is neceffary in order to our jullifica-
tion here. The truth of which, can, T
tliink, admit of no difpute ; it being evi-
dent from the account already given of
juflification, and the blellings and privi-
leges implied in it. A title to eternal Life
is involved in the fcripture-idea of juftifi-
cation ; and is an efTential part of it. We
can neither be juftified without this title ;
nor have this title without being juftified;
they mutually infer and imply each o-
ther,
2 20 Of Ju/iijication hy Faith.
Serm. ther, and are infcparable. So that it is
VIII. ^ a contradic^lion to fuppofe, that we are
jiilHficd antecedently to our having a title
to falvation ; or upon any other, or low-
er terms, than thofe to which the pro-
mife of future blelTednefs is made. Aflbon
as a man is juftilied, or rather in his jufti-
fication, this title is given to him ; and
not before. While we keep to the true
idea of juitification, as it involves in it
the promife of future glory, and a right,
thro' grace, to tlie Heavenly inheritance ;
we cannot even make the fuppofition of
our being* juftified on other terms than
thofe, on which eternal life is offered to
us, without perceiving the felf-repugnan-
cyofit. The ideas of juftification, and
of the title here intended, tho* diflerent in
fome reipet^ts, are yet fo far coincident,
and have fuch a connexion and mutual
dependence, that we may eafily fee, that
whatever God requires of us in order to
our being entitled to Heaven and happi-
nefs, mull alio be required in order to our
juftification. For otherwife we might be
juftified without having the title mention-
ed ; /; e, jufHfied without fomething,
w hich is implied in the very notion of
juftification ; which is a contradiction.
Th e \ithcr propoikion is, That in or-
der to our having a title to eternal life,
it
Of JuJIiJication by Faith. 221
it is neccflary that we repent of our fins, Serm.
and obey the gofpel. And agreably here- VIII.
to it is faid, " Bleffed are they that do
his commandments, that they may have
right to the tree of life." There are no
promifes of future glory and happinefs,
made in the fcriptures, to impenitent,
perfevering tranfgreflbrs. They are all
made to thofe who confefs and forfake
their fins. The gofpel is fo far from giv-
ing any title to future glory, to the im-
penitent workers of iniquity, that it cx-
prefsly condemns them, and cuts them
off from it. " Know ye not, fays the
apoftle, that the the unrighteous fhall not
inherit the kingdom of God ? Be not
deceived ; neither fornicators, " &c. It
is faid, that God will render to them
that " obey not the truth, but obey un-
righteoufnefs, indignation and wrath ;
even upon every foul of man that doth
evil.'' It is not, furely pofTible, that the
fame gofpel, which fpeaks thus to, and
of,the wicked and difobedienc, condemn-
ing them to future woe and punifliment,
fhould, at the fame time, entitle them,by
it's promifes, to life everlafting — -Now
fince nothing is required of us, in order
to our being entitled to eternal life, but
what is equally required in order to our
being juftiiied ; (as was Ihowa above)
audi
2 2 2 Of yujiijicatmi by FaitL
and fince, in order to our being entitled
to eternal life, it is necclTary that wc re-'
pent of our fins and obey the gofpel, (as
we have juft now feen) it undoubtedly
follows, that repentance and evangelical
obedience are necefTary in order to our
being juftiiied. And hence it is farther
evident, that when we are faid to be juf-
tified by faith^ faith is not, in fuch paf-
lages of fcripture,contradiftinguifhed from
repentance and new obedience ; but muft,
of neceffity, be confidered as comprifing
them in it.
5thl37^, The main point to be eftablifhed,
will be ftill more evident from a curfory
view of St. James's doctrine in this epiftle :
One main defign of which appears plain-
ly to be, the refcuing of St. Taul's doc-
trine of jurtification, from the abufes and
ialfe glolTcs which began, even then, to
be put upon it by licentious men. Or,
at leaft, St. James defigned to guard the
Church in fuccceding times, againft fuch
abufes and corruptions in this refpefl", as
he law likely to creep into it, and wliich
ivave, fmcc, aftually ovcrfprcad and dif-
honoured a confiderable part of it. For
that this apolHe profefl'edly oppofes thtf
dodrinc ot juftification by faith only, in
the modern fcnfe of the term, is as evident
as words can make any thing to be. And
all
Of yujiijication iy Faith. 2 2 •:
all the attempts that have been made to Serm,
reconcile St. James s doftrine, to the fond VIII.
conceits of thofe who are for exalting
faith, at the expence of holineis and
good works, are equally futile and un-
natural.
It is more efpecially in the fecond
chapter of this cpiftle, that the apoftle ex-
plodes and refutes thefe foolifh and per-
nicious conceits- At the tenth verfe he
tells us, That " Whofoever fhall keep the
whole law," (meaning the lazu of liberty^
as it is called ver. 12, and which is no o-
ther than the gofpel-rule of life and man-
ners) and yet offend in one point, he is
guilty of all." The plain meaning of
which is, that whofoever fhall habitually
tranfgrefs any one known precept of the
gofpel, is not in a ftate of favour with
God ; but as certainly lies under condem-
nation, as if he violated them all. The
apoftle then admonifhes us to hve and
aft in all refpefts, as becomes thofe who
are hereafter to be judged according to
this law — "So fpeak ye,and fo do, as they
that fhall be judged by the law of liber-
ty." Now if we are to be judged by this
law, it is certain that we fhall be either
juftified or condemned by it, according
as we have, or have not, yielded a fincere
end uiiiverfal obedience to the precepts
of
2 24 Of y Unification by Faith. ..
of it. This is neccflarily implied in our
being judged by it. From whence it is
'iw obvious inference, that we cannot now
be jnftified by this law of libertv, [the
gofpel] without obeying it. This law
will be the fame, in itfelf, in the day of
judgment, that it is at prefent : And all
who will be condemned by it, in that
day, are equally condemned by it now.
It cannot now juftify the fame perfons,
whom it will condemn, when it fliall be
put into execution by the judge of quick
and dead. Or will any one fay, that we
may now be jurtified by the law of liber-
ty, on account of our faith ; and yet be
condemned by it hereafter, on account
of our dijobedlence ? This feems to be too
sbfurd for any one to affcrt or fuppofe.
But were it fuppofeable, yet That jullifi-
cation, which docs not exempt us from
future condemnation ; That which w^e
may be the fubjerts of here, and yet be
fcnitenced to woe and miferv hereafter for
our iins, is a thino- of but little value or
importance to us ; Our great concern is,
to know and to do that, which will en-
title us to the approbation of our Judge,
in the great day of his appearing. Even
the law of liberty will not then juftify us,
unlcfs we have fmcerely obeyed it : And
this bciug the cafe, it is maiiifcft, as was
laij
Of yuftificattQn by Faith, 22 ^
faid before^, that it cannot juftify iis now, Serm.
if we difobey it ; that law being flill the VIIL
fame. And all the SoUfidians in the world
might be defied to anl wer this fnigle ar*
giiment, were there no others.
But the apoftle proceeds (ver. 14.)
more particularly to confider the in-
fluence of faith and works ; and from
thence to the end of the chapter, pl'o-
fefTedly combates this notion, that a man
is juftified by the former, independently
of the latter — *'What doth it profit, my
brethren, tho' a man fay he hath faith,
and have not works ? can faith idYt ^'^
him ?",As if he had faid : Of what figni-
ficancy or advantage is it, for a man to
talk and boaft of his faith, if his faith is
not accompanied with obedience ? Cau
faith entitle Him to the favour of God,
and eternal life, who does not obey the
commandments of Chrift, as well as be-
lieve in him ? Vain, abfurd imagination !
He goes on : " If a brother or filter be
naked, and dcfUtute of daily food ; and
one of you fay unto them, Depart ia
Q^ peace,
♦ "/ CaiufaitH/af^ hjm ?" Some whc aflert the fufficiency
of faul;i to jujiify ; ftill allow that it is not fufficient to
fwe : But the Apoftle makes ro fuch idle c]illin<^ion,
iThe (cope of his argument requires, thar bv Oiping, he
, jj^ould^ hefe. mean jujiijvng ; and accordingly he Tub-
ftitutes the latter term in the room of the former, in ^^
> following verfej.
2 25 Of yujlificatwi by Faith.
peace, be you warmed, and filled ; not-
wlthftanding ye give them not thole
things whicii are needful to the body ;
what doth it profit ? E^'en fo faith, if it
hath not works is dead being alone." q. (h
If 3^ou give your necefTitous brethren
only good words, inftcad of relieving
their wants ; of what fjgnificanc)^ is this.^
It is rather to mock and infult them,than
to do them any real kindnefs. And faith
is jult as infjgnificant as rhofe good
words, if it is not attended with charit}^
and righteoiifnefs. Being thus alone, it
is a dead ufelefs thing ; and can no more
jiiftify or fave the fabjefts of it, than
fair foft words can feed and cloath thofe,
who arc perifliing with hunger and cold.
"^'^ Yea a man may fay. Thou haft faith,
and I have works : Shew me thy faith
without tliy works, and I will fliew thee
my faith -by my works." As if he had
laid : Yea, one might reafon afier this
manner with you ; You pretend to have
faith ; and perhaps you really have ;
But I have works, which dcmonftrate
that I have faith. Whereas you cannot
make it appear, even that you have any
faith, unlefs your behaviour bears wit-
nefs for you. Shew me, if you can, that
you have any faith, without works : This
i; impolTible ; but I will make it evident
that
Of Jujiijication by Faith. 22 f
that I am a believer, by my good life. SerM".
So that faith is not only infufficient to VIIL
juftify and fave a man ; but no man can
even prove that he is pofTefled of it, with-
out works.
The apoftle proceeds : " Thou be-
lieveft that there is one God ; thou doft
well : the devils alfo believe and tremble*
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that
faith without works is dead J' q.d. Thou
wilt tell me, perhaps, that thou believefl:
in the One tme God. Be it fo : Thus far
it is well : But you cannot reafonably
think that you are hereby juftified ; for
even the apoftate angels believe, and yet
juftly tremble ; being referved in chains
under darknefsy to the judgment of the great
day : To which condemnation you al-^
fo ftand expofed, notwithftanding your
faith, while you perfevere in your fins.
O vain, foolifh man ! wilt thou not at
length be fenfible, that faith without o-
bedience, is a dead ufelefs thing, of no
profit or advantage ? St. James goes on
to illuftrate and confirm his doftrine by
the example of Abraham. *' Was not A-
braham our father juftified by Works,
when he had offered Ifaac his fon upon
the Altar ? Seeft thou how faith wrought
with his works, and by works was faith
made perfed%'*. /j, d. You may be convin-
0^2 ced
2 28 Of Jufttficatmiby Faith.
S^l^Mo ced' by l:hc ftory of" Atraha),i\, that ii man:
VfJIv miiil 6j/7(?y.as« well as ^^//>ir^, in order cd^
'' his .being jufti-fied. For was not he, bun
eoinmoii. father, and the father of^the
faithful, juftifjcd, in cffccl, by' works j-
when lie Submitted to die cominand and
authority^of God, in preparing to facri^i
fice his foil :? Seeft thou not how his faith
was cxercifed, and excixed itfelf in works
ofobe'liencc,rccei\ing thence all itsvahoc
ahd efficacy P And that ir^.would have
been impcrfcft,' dead and ufelcfs, had ic
not been accompanied with an obedienr
heart. "And the fcripture was fulnlled
which {\x\xh:, Abvahain belieVed God, awcb
it was imputed to him for righteoufnefs' \
and he .was called the friend of God.''»
(f.d. And thus was the icripture verilicd,^
vvhicli tells us,:. that u4hi\ibam\ wafe ar#li-^
gious believer in God ; and' tliis his prousf
and obedienr faith, procured' him ^hedi-'
wnc japprobation ; it being, thro' grace^f
rcclioned^ tO: him ajid iicc^ued of G/:* J/xisi
rightcoufnds.VSoi'tha^ lie was high in|
riic xiivine'.favbur ; and obtauied tliat
glorious teflimony, that he was God's:
Friend.^ Which charqi(^ter 'he could never i
have obtained, had he not added works.'
to'liis faith: ..V Ye fee tbcu, fcvs the A-
jX)fl:ie, how that by works a man isjultir/
iicd, ajad-.uot' by taitli" oxJy." y. d, Yer.
:. ^ O ^ may
Of Jliflif cation ;^'. Faiik^ 2a:cp,
may .be aiTute'di- therefore, that dt is by o- SdRMir^
bediieaceito/God -s cammaods', that a man VlII^
isjuftiiied ir^rUis figlit ;. amd not, as fonie
may vainly; imagine, only by believing.";
-' T'H E. apoftle having obierved, ^thatii^-^^
hiiii\/^s wdl m.yyibrd}a7?i, was juftifed byl
\y<:i|4$s ;. xlofes this iubject with the foH
lO^'Vingliamilitude. . " As the, body witli'f-
Qut. . the fpirit is dead, fo faith I without!
works is de;ad alfo/' As if hehad faid :
§of^ris it from being true, that faith a^'
lone is fufficient to jultify us, a'nd.that om*
obedience is not alfo neceffary to that
^nd:; fo far is, this from being the truth
of the cafe, that obedience gives, to faith
all its worth and value and efficacy. In
ftiort works are to faith, that which the
fpirit. is to the body. As the body, being
deprived of the fpirit which fhould infornt
and animate it,, becomes a mere carcafe^'
a dead lump of matter, void of all vigor
and energy, and unable to perform any of
the proper vital funftions ; lb faith, being
feparated from works, or not attended-
with them, is a dead, ufclefs thing ; and
as unable to jufl;ify the fubjecls.of it, as.
a breathlefs corps i^ to;perform the actions
of a living man. .
Thus I have, briefly laid before you;
the dodrine of St. James ^ concerning:
juftification. And .it . is mamfeft that he;
0,3 QP^
230 Of Jujiijication by Faith.
Serm, oppofes, directly and profefTedly oppofes,
VIII. and not only oppofes, but refutes, the
" notion of juftift cation by faith alone ; or
faith confidered independently of obedi-
ence. Tell me, then, Ao not thofe per-
fons fow difcord betwixt brethren, who
i:iterpret St/Paul as teaching the contrary
doctrine of juftification by faith, abftraft*
ly confidered, and in contradiftinction
from works ? They certainly nmke as
vide a breach betwixt thefe two apoftles,
as happened heretofore betwixt the latter
of them, and Barnabas. And this they do
without any neceflity. Becaufe what St.
7aul fays concerning juftification by faith
ujithout the deeds of/azu^admits of a" fair and
eafy interpretation, in perfect confiftency
with St. James's doctrine as explained a-
bove : Whereas St. James s doctrine here,
cannot, by all the fubtlety of man, be na-
turally and fairly explained in any toler-
able confiftency with St. TauHy provided
the defign of St.Taul was to oppofe faith
to evangelical obedience ; and to teach^
that juftification comes by the former,
exclufively of the latter
- Ther-e are feveral ways, in whichSt.
Tiiuh dodiini may be made to harmo-
nize with St. Ja'/nes% without putting
unv unuaiin-al force upon the words of
<:)thcr. For example ; (i.) When St.
Of Juftijication by Faith.
231
Taul (ays, that we are juftified by y<7///;, Sfrm.
faith may be underftobd objeBhely ; as VIII.
if he had faid, we are juftified by the '
go/pel ; and not by the law of Mojes :
And this interpretation is much counte-
nanced by the fcope of fome paiTages,
where he treats of juftification. (2)
Whenever faith is to be underftood yi^^-
jeBively, ( as it certainly muji be in many
places) it is no unnatural conflruftion, to
understand the term as comprehenfive of
the luhole cbrijlian tem-per^ and that obe-
dience which the gofpel requires of us.^ —
If it ihould be faid, that this cannot be
St. ^auH meaning, becaufe he oppofes
faith to works, and to the deeds of law :
fince faith really includes them, accor-
ding to this interpretation : Tho' this
is the principal difficulty, it admits of a
very eafy folution. For by works, and
the deeds of law, in thefe places, may
be meant, either the ceremonial and ritu-
al obfervancGS of the nwfaic law ; as if the
apofllc had faid, " A man is juftified by
believing and obeying the gofpel ; not by
thofe legal obfervanccs, to which the
Jews are fo difpofed to truft : '' Or by
works and the deeds of law, may be un-
derftood a perfeft righteoufnefs, which
would exclude grace, and which no one
ever performed ; as if he had laid, " VVc
0,4 ^^^'
232 ^J Jujiijication by Faith.
arcjuftificd by a finccre, tho' imperfect
obedience to the gofpel, thro' the merc}^
of God in Chriil Jefus ; not by our Avorks,
coniidered as llriclly conformable to
law ) m which fenfe it is impofliblc that
any tranfgreffor of the law fhould be julli-
fied— Now in cither of thefe ways, the
diftinrtion which St.Vaiil makes betwixt
faith and works, when he oppofes the
one to the other, is fufTiciently prcferved :
And either . of thclc interpretations will
perfertly harmonize with St. Jamcs^^
doclrlne, That a man is not juftificd; by
faith, exclufively of that obedience to the
laws of Chrift, which onght to accompa-
ny it ; and without which it is dead. •
The Attempts made to reconcile St.
James and St. Taid^ on the contrary hy-
pothefis, ( viz^ that St. Taul teaches the
doftrinc of juftification by faith alone, or
faith in contradillinclion from evangeli-
cal obedience) have liitherto been to little
purpofe : unlcfs it is to fhow the perplex-
ing ftreights, to which the advocates for
that hypothefis are driven ; and how un-
able they are to fupport it, without ufijig
unnatural violence with the icriptures.
Let me give a ipecimcn of thefe attempts,
in order to fupport and verify this affer-
tion.
SoM£ have fuppofed that St. "^Paul and
St.
Of y^uptficatton hy Fait hi 233
StJ James fpeak of two kinds of faith ; the S^"- RMv
former, of a true, evangelical and opera- VIII.
tive faith, the latter of a dead, hiitorica),
and notional faith, quite different there-
from : That the firftkind juftificjs without,
and independently of, works ;' but that
the latter does not. In anfwerto which,
I fhail make one or two ihort remarks.
It is evident that St. James intended
no fuch difl:in(?l:ion ; bc^caufe he fpeaks of
faith at large, in the mofi: general and un-
limited fenfe. " Cto- faith fave him. " —
" What doth it 'profit" — ^' Faith Avithout
works is dead.'-' — " A man is juftified —
not by faith only." He does not fa}^, that
this or that particular kind of faith cannot
Jcive, cannot profit, cannot jujiijy, without
works :' But the knk is plainly this, that
iVo j^W of faith whatever, can fave, pro-
fit or juitify, without w^orks ; or of itfelf
alone. Moreover,
The apoftle is here fpcaking of fuch
a faith as Ahrahani^ and Rahab were the
fubje<fts of: The former of whom, at leali,
it is to be prefumed, had as good a fiiith
as any one can pretend to, fmcc he is
called the /^?//»cr cf the faithful. And yet
the apoftle denies that either of thefe per-
fons -was juftified by faith alone ; He af-
ferts that they were- juftified by works — ■
^^ Was not Abraham our lather juftified
by
^34 Of yujiijication by Faith.
Serm. by works" — " Like wife alfo was not Ra-
VIII. /;tf/> juftificd by works."- — 'Now \i Abraham
himfcif, the goodnefs, and evangelical
nature of whofe faith, is not difputcd by
any, was not juftified by faith, confider-
jcd in contradiitinftion from, and in op-
pofition to, works ; certainly no other
believer can be thus juftilied by faith a-
lone. But,
Let us,fpr the prefent,take it for gran-
ted, that St. James is not fpeaking of a true
evangelical faith, when he fays, that faith
cannot fave, profit or juftify, without
works ; but fpeaking of fuch an idle, hii-
torical and inoperative faith, as is pre-
tended by fome : And let us then fee what
his dodrine will amount to. And I think
it will be manifeftly this, according to the
prefent hypothefis ; viz ; That tho* an
idle, hijloricaly inoperative faith, cannot
juftify without works ; yet /uch a faith
might fave, profit and juftify, with works :
(for this is plainly implied.) But there is
another peculiar kind of faith, a truly e-
vangclical, a living and working faith,
which juftifies without works, and cx-
clufively of them ! And again ; when the
apoftle fays, (vcr. 24.) *' Ye fee then
liow that by works a man is juftified, and
)iot by fiiith only* ; according to the prc-
icm hypothefis, the fcnfc (or rather the
non-
Of yujiiji cation by Faith. 235
nonfenfe) of the alTertion muft be this ; Serm.
That a man is juftified, not only by a VIII.
dead, inoperative, and idle faith, a faith
that worketh not ; not only by fuch a
faith ; but by fuch a faith in conjun^ion
with good works ! Now let me alk any
fober man, Whether fuch fluff ^s this, is
worthy the pen of an infpired apoftle ?
And whether this method of reconciling
St. Taul and St. James, is not to pervert
and wrefl: the plain meaning of the latter ;
and make him fpeak right-down Non-
fenfe ?
Another way of reconciling St.
James to St. Taul, (or rather of making
him contradict himfelf) is this : It is faid,
that he is not here fpeaking of what is
neceffary to our juftilication in the fight
of Gk)d ; but of what is necellary to the
juftification of onr faith ; neceffary to the
making it evident to others, that we have
true faith. It is faid, that tho' faith, ex-
clufively of obedience or works, juftifies
us before God ; yet we cannot exhibit a
pr6of and evidence of our faith to others,
without works : And that accordingly,
by being juftified, the Apoftle here means,
juftified to the world, and in the fight
of all men, as true fincere chriftians.
Let us briefly examine this pretended
folution of the difficulty*
And
236 Of Jujlijicauon hy Faith.
DERM. And it is to be obfervcd,
VIII. ^ That this is quite an arbitrary inter-
' pretation ; altogether unwarranted, and
unnatural. The jtiflijjing of a mans faith
is, in itfclf, an uncouth, ridiculous ex-
preflion : And thofe make much too bold
^vith theapoftle, who apply tlwto/i.7/y,
which he lay? of meuy of perjms. The
principal, if not the only thing alledged
in fupport of this interpretation, is, that
St. y(Z?;zfj- fpeaks, in vcr. 18. o^ Jheivirig
our iaith by works. Upon this flender
foundation it is, that fome men have in-
terpreted all that he fays in this palTage
concerning the neceflity of obedience and
Avorks to juilification, of the need of
works in order tojhew that we have faith.
Whci'cas it is evident, that what the a-
poltlc fays in that verfe, is merely inci-
dental ; fomething quite diftincl from his
main argument, and general defign.
Having before fhown, that faith without
works, was unable to lave ; that it was
a dead, ufelcfs, unprofitable thing ; he
then tells thofe with whom he is arguing,
(as it w ere in a parenthefis) that faith was
fo far from julHfying them, that they could,
not even make it mamfcft that they had
any faith at all, but by their works. He
tells t]icm,that one might, -^cvc it needful,
rcafon with thcir\ thus : But he lets this;
mat-
Of Jujiifcation by Faith. 237
tnatter drop, with a bare mention ; and Serm.
then returns to his main argument ; which VIII.
he pliriiies to the end of the chapter.
But- -that tlie apoftle does not intend
the juftifyifig of our faith, or making it
appear to the World, that we have faith ;
is'denianftrable from'Ver. 24, — •" Ye fee
then how that by works a man is jufHfi-
cd, and-h'ot^j faith only.'' According to
thefe goodly interpreters of fcripture, the
fcnfe mu'ftbe this^— " Ye fee then how
lihat a man's faith is juftified, or made e-
vident to the world, by good works, and
not <5;;/y by faith. " Or thus, ^' Faith is
made to appear, not only by faith itfelf ;
but partly by faith and partly by Works."
Which, belides the Nonfenfe of it, di-
redly militates even againft 4:hat part of
the paflage, (ver. 18) wdiich they think
warranto this interpretation. For there
it is fuppofed, that faith cannot hefleivn
at all^ by faith itfelf -, but only by works.
And indeed, had St. James talked at the
rate which they would make him, to fup-
port their favourite fyftem, One might be
apt to queftlon, not only hi> infpiration,
but even the foundnefs of his undei'-
ftanding.
It is farther to be obferved, that St.
James is fpeaking in this paflage, concern-
ing what is necelTary to fahation :---*
("Can
^3^ ^f J^Jiifi<^^^^o^i h P^i^l^^
('' Can faith lave him ?") It is therefore
much more natural to underftand him as
treating here, of our jullification in the
figlit of God, on whom alone our falva-
tion depends, than of our julHfication in
the fight of men. We may be faved
hereafter, altho' men fhould think and
fpeak evil of us, and condemn us : Or
we may perifh, tho* we (hould appear
righteous unto men. But in order to our
falvation hereafter, it is indifpenfably ne-
ceflary that we fliould be juflified of God
in this world : For it is only thofe,
" whom He firft juftifies,' that He after-
vvards glorifies." We may therefore fair-
ly conclude, that this is the jullification
here difcourfed of.
Again : 'That the apoftle is treating
of jullification in the fight of God, ap-
pears from what he fays concerning
Abraham, When he *' believed God,"
and wlien " luith wrought with his
works,'* " it was * imputed to him for
rightcoufnefs. '* By whom was it impu-
ted \ Certainly by that God, in whom he
trulled
• Ir will be obferved, thtr the pirticwltr qocfiion here it
ncf, Ubat ir was that was inputti to Aircham fvr righttnf"
neji T whcchcr it were lii« faith only, as diftinguiihcd from
Ws obedience , or both of H.em corJT 6\}y ; or, as fomefup-
po/e, the peifc^ righicourncl-< f r Lhriit ? Put the po-nr ii,
whether ttf acceptance of AiTuhom\ p.rfon lo the divir^e ft.-
ronr, and his jullificttion in ilx (ight of Cod« is not impikd
\t tkai phrsjt ?
Of Jujlijication by Faith. 239
trufted and whom he obeyed ; as appears Sf.rm.
from Gen. 15. 6. the place here referred VIII.
to,' — He believed in the LORD, and HE '
counted it to him for righteoufnefs . Now
we know, that for God to impute righ^
teoufnefs to a man, and to juftify him, arc
phrafes that are equivalent in fcripture.
So that there can be no reafonable doubt,
but that it is juftification in God's fight,
that is meant here, and throughout this
palTage. Nor was Abraham only called
the friend of God by men, on account of
his obedience : but it was his obedient
faith which made him fo. It is therefore
evident, that St. James is not treating of
juftification before men."
And indeed it is, even at firft view, a
ver}^ ftrange unnatural fuppofition, that
the apoftle ihould labour fo much, only to
prove that a man cannot appear juft and
righteous in the fight of men, merely by
his faith, which is invifible ; or without
living righteoufly. This is both felf-evi-
dent, fo as to need no formal proof ; and,
at the fame time, a matter, comparative-
ly fpeaking, of but little importance.
Tho' this is plainly the main Icope and
drift of this whole paflage, unlefs it is
our juftification in the fight of God,
that is intended in it. And this conlide-
ratioa alone, is, I tlunk, fuificient to
cvincci
240 Of.yuJiificalio?i by Faith.
Srrm. evince, that it is of a higher, and far
Vllt more important jultilication, than one
in the eyes of men, tliat St. "James is dif-
courfing. The zeal and Warmth which
he difcovers in the: courfe of his argu-
ment ^ . the folemiiity., g-ixd- pathos of his
cxpreffions ; in fhort^ , the: \v hole air of
this pafTage, is a demonftration that the
apoifle is treating oh a fiibjecl: no lefs
interelling, than that of our juilification
with God, and the falvatioia of our fouls.
And the other fuppofjtion, that he is
ipcaking only of what is neceflary to
make our faith apparent^ that lb we may
be juflified in the opinion and fight of.
r,ien^ is as inconfiftent with good Criticifnij
ai> it is with found T'heology,
Thus I have given you a fpecimen of
the methods taken to make thefc two a-
pollles harmonize ; taken, I mean, bv"
thole who will have it, that St. Taui
taught the dodrine of jultification by
fiiih, !as contradiitiiiguiihcd from evange-
Heal obedience. The two methods which
I liave mentioned, are all that 1 have met
with, which fcem to claim any notice.
And how infullicient^ : how unnatural,
even thefe folutions ar^ it is prdumed
need: not he made more apparent than it is
already. Both the fokuions are founded .
upon arbitrary fuppofijious ,• and fuch as
are
Of Jufiijieation by Faith. 241
Sire demonftrably falfe* And they areS^^'^^f*
alfo mutually repugnant to each other ; VIII.
fo that if either of them were true, the
other muft necelTarily be falfe : Tho',
if I miftake not, fome perfons, that they
might the more effedually put here(y out
of countenance, have gravely adopted
them both, and maintained them together.
But, as has been obfervcd before, it is
cafy to reconcile all that St, Taul has faid
concerning juftification by faith, with
the do(^lrine, that evangelical obedience
is required in order to our being juftified-
( Which laft is certainly the dodrine of
St. James, ) How this may be done, has
been (hown before. — ^Butif it is fuppofed,
that St. Taul ever taught the dodbine of
j unification by faith alone, - in contradif-
tinction from obedience, the only quef-
tion is nor, How he can be reconciled
with St. James I ^Another queftion which
naturally arifes, is, How he can be recon-
ciled with h'nnfelf ? In all his epiltles, he
aflerts that impenitent, unreformed fin-
ners, lye under wrath and condemnation.
He therefore teflified to them repentance to-
wards God, as well as faith towards our
Lord JefusChrift, in order to their getting
out of this ftate of condemnation ; to their
being reconciled to God, and entitled to
eternal life. " Defpifeft thou the riches of
4' 5
242 Of yujlijication by Faith.
oERltf. ^< his goodnefs, forbearance and long-
VIII. " faflTering, fays he ; not knowing that
the goodnefs of God leadeth thee to
repentance ; but after thy hard and
" impenitent heart, treafureft' up unto
" thy felf wrath againft the day of
t J^cm. 2. " wrath r t Is it not here fuppofed, that
fuch obdurate tranigrcffors are under con-
demnation I that they are continually ag-
gravating their guilt and ruin ? and that
their repentance and reformation are in-
difpenfably neceflary in order to their ob-
taining the favour and mercy of God ?
Certainly it is. How then can it be fup-
pofed that this fame apoftle in the fame
cpiftle, fliould teach, that faith alone, as
diftinguifhed from repentance and new
obedience, is fufficicnt tojulHfy us ; and
that it aftually does fo ? or if he had
taught this latter doctrine, who could re-
concile it with the other ? and vmdicatc
him againft: the imputation oi felf-contra-
diBiou ? The doctrines are diametrically
repugnant to each otlier : And whoever
Ihall undertake to fliow on one hand,thac
repentance and new obedience, are ne-
ceiTary to our obtaining the favour and
mercy of God ; and yet, on the other
hand, tlmt we are juftified by faith exclu-
fivelv of rep^ntancr and new obedience, •
will, I am perfwaded, only darken counfel-
fy words VJitbout knoivlcd^e. I
Of yujlijication by Faith. 1245
I INTENDED to liave brought divers Skrm»
other arguments to fhow the falfhood of VIII.
this too common do6lrine, that we are
juftified by faith alone, as faith is oppofed
to gofpel-obedience. But the time will
not allow of it. This is, in ihort, a doc-^
trine quite repugnant to that preached by
our blefled Saviour and his apollles ; a
dodrine, full of abfurdity, and fruitful
ofmifchief; a doftrine, contrary to the
general fcheme and genius of the gofpel ;
a doftrine, altogether irrational ; and not
lefs pernicious in its practical tendency^
than it is abfurd in fpeculation.
But as I am now concerned with
thofe who make great ufe of dlftinBlons ;
I muft beg leave to take notice of one or
two of thefe^ before I conclude.
It isfaid, that tho* one efTential pro-
perty of a juftifying taith, is, that it is o-
perative ; and that no faith can juflify,
befides that w^hich is produdive of good
works, and is manifefted by them ; yet
faith does not juftify becaufe it is operative,
and produftive of good works ; but upon
another account ; viz. becaufe believing
is 2i going outofourfelves ; and is the hand
by ivhich lae lay hold upon the perfeB right e--
oufnefs ofChnft. This, if I miftake not,is
generally faid by thofe who afTert the
dodrine of juftification by faith, in op-
R z poiitioa
2 4-+ Of Jufltfication by Faith.
pofition to obedience. And I fhall make
a few remarks upon this curious diltin-
c1:ion ; becaule it tends rather to puzzle
Ithe ignorant^ than to edify any ; and may
probably be a means of beguiling unJJuble
fouls to their dejirutlion,
I.- If that which is intended by this
diftinction, were only this, that we are
not juitified on account of the inherent
merit of our obedience, fo as to exclude
the mercy and grace of God, by which
we are juftitied thro' a Mediator ; this is
unqucllionably true ; and a thing of great
importance to be confidered by all Chrilli-
ans. But then it is to be obfcrved,that this
is at leaft as applicable to our faith, as it is
to our works. For faith is no more me-
ritorious of our juftirication and falvation,
tlian our works are : To be lure it is not,
ifthatbethc true notion of faith, which
fome have advanced, viz, that it is a re-
nouncing all dcfert and merit in our-
felves, and relying wholly and abfolutely
upon the righteoufnels and mtiit of Ano-
ther— But this is not the true defign of
the dilUnrtion : for were this all that they
intend, there would be no controveriy.
They intend, that faith juftifies us in fome
fenfe in which obedience does not juitify
US; otherwifecven they themfelvcs,would
fee what others do ; I mean, that this dif-
tiiidiou
Ofyujiijlcation by Faith. 245
tinftion has really nothing in, it; ' For Serm.
2. If that faich whichjultifies us, in- VIIL
dudes in it a principle of obedience, as one
eflential propert y of it,; (as they generally
allert) then it is moil futi}e\and abfurd to.
o/>/w/^ faith and obedience, in the manner
they do, ; one. to the other ; . as tho' the
former juftiifiecli us independently of the
latter. For what is th'x^y in. effect,' but to
oppofe a. thing to itfelf ; to t'hat iwhich i^
eflential to the Very being of it ?. It is as
if we fhould oppofe the fun to the light
^nd warmth qf it ; or the great Father of
lights, to his effential attributes : It is as
if it were faid, that tho' God made the
worlds ; yet they were not prpduced by
his, power, .wifdom and goodnefs ; but
exclufivply of them: ! i ^.. W
3. But the futility of this diftindion,-
and the falQiood of wdiat is intended by
i-t ; is ftill further evident from the paflage
in St, James, which was confidered above.
For it appears from thence, not only, that.
we cannot be juftified by a faith that is.
without, 'obedience ; but alfo that it is
obedience which gives to faith all it's
life, efficacy and perfe<Sion. Without
this^ any. .faith, all faith is vain, dead,
and unprofitable ; utterly infuflicient to
jvilUfv andfave the fubjefts of it. It is
this principlie of obedience tlaat is, as it
R 3 were
246 Of yujiif cation by Faith.
were the foul and fpirit of faith ; the
very, the only thmg, by which we can
be juftified. So widely do thofe miftake
the matter, and differ from St.y^wfj,who
aflert, that tho' a juftifying faith is always
produdive of obedience ; yet it is not
this operative quality, which gives vir-
tue and efficacy to it ; but that a true faith
juftifies, exclulively of the obedience im*
plied in it. The Apoftle more than inti-
mates, that if faith confidered indepen*
dently of obedience, could jullify us, the
Devils themfelves might be jullified as
well as we! — But thefe men, it fecms,will
not allow that that^ upon which the a--
poftle lays, in a manner, the whole ftrefs
of our juftlfication, fhould have any ftrcfs
at all laid upon it in this affair. Even
while they allow, that the quality which
eflentially dilHngiiilhcs a julHfying faith
from any other, is its being operative ;
yet it mull not be allowed, that faith jufti-
fies upon account of this diflinguifliing
quality, leil it fhould follow that we are
julHhed by luorks ! This ( tho' we fhould
not be uncharitable) looks too much as
if thefe men were determined to fay any
thing ; and even plainly to contradict
theiJiCelvcSy rather than not contradift the
aportlc when he ftys, that " a man is
juftified by works^and not by faith only."
4. If
Of Jujiijication by Faith. 247
4. If no faith can juftify, (as is con- Sfrm.
fefled) bcfides that which involves in it a '^j^II-
principle of obedience, then faith muft
juftify us, confidered as including this
principle in it ; and not independently of
it. This confequence is inconteftibly
true ; tho' it feems not to be generally at-
tended to : and if it wefe, there would be
no room left for controverfy about faith
and works.— Let me illuftrate what I
here intend — If this quality is elTential to
a true, juftifying faith ; viz, that it is o-
perative, and productive of good works;
and if the faith which has this property,
certainly juftifies the fubject of it ; it fol-
lows that faith juftifies, only confidered
as having that property ; /. e, on account
of the obedience involved in the idea of
it. For otherwife, wdiy may not fome
ether kind of faith juftify, tho* deftitute of
this property, as well as that to which o-
bedience is eflential I If this quality of
faith is of no confideration in the aflair
of our juftification ; or if faith does not
juftify us, hecaufe it includes obedience \
it will be impoflible to aflign a reafon^
why another faith which has all the
qualities of a true one, excepting this of
being operative, ftiould not juftify as well
as that which has this alfo. In fliort, to
fay, that that^ and that only, is a juftifying
R 4 faithj
8 Of Juflification by Faith.
faithjWhich has this property, is, in cfTecV,
to fay, that this property is what renders
it available to our julHfication ; and that
we are julHfied by faith, only confidered
asT a principle of obedience. So that thofe
who fay obedience is effcntial to a julli-
fying faith ; and yet that faith juftitics us,
confidered in contradiftinftion from obe-
dience, do not only make a neediefs, tri--
flhtg diftinclion ; but plainly contradict
themfelvcs in it. What would you think
of a pcrfon who fhould tell you that wings
^vcre eflential to a bird ; that all the crear
Tures which had them, could flj ; but
that none could j^y without them; and
yet tell you, in the fame breath, that
thcfe inhabitants of the air did not fly by
'TjJrtue of their w- ings, but quite indepen-
dently of them ? Or what would you think
bf one, w^ho iliould tell yoii,that obedience
.fd our earthly fovereign, was effential to
loyalty ; that all his loyal fubje6ls were en-
titled to his protection ; but' that none
could be entitled thereto, w^ithout loyalty ;
"and yet tell you that loyalty did not entitle
Tou to your foTcrcign's protertion, confi-
dered as comprifing obedience in it ; but
Vonfidcrcd abJlrnHly^ and even in contradif-
'tivcJionivom obedience? It will not be pro-
per, pcrliaps to fpcak out what you w^ould
think of iijch /ubtilcDiJUnguiJIyers as thefe —
But
Of Jujiification by Faith. 24c
But whatever you Avould think of them ; Serm,
the fame you muft think of thofe,who tell VIII.
tis that a principle of obedience is effential
to a true faith ; that all Vvho have true
faith are jujlified ; but that thofe who
h^ve it not, are not jujlified ; and yet tell
us, that a true faith does not juftifj^
confidered as comprehenfive of oW/>;7^d';
but as diftinguifhed from, and oppofed to
it. And this is really the amount of all
the gihberiJJj which you read or hear, con-
cerning being juftified ** Fide fola'\ but
not " Fide folitaria ! " ~" By faith alone"
but not " hy faith that is alone /" —
5. And laftly here, If we confider faith
abllraftly, or independently of hohnefs
and obedience, what can we fee in it,
which fhould give it this preheminence
above every thing befides \ above fincere
repentance for our fins ? above righteouf-
nefs and charity to our neighbour ? above
gratitude to our Redeemer ? above the
love and reverence of our Maker ? Does
faith, abftractly confidered, feem to have
any fuch prerogative, that it (houldjufti-
fy us rather than any, or all, of thefe
graces and virtues? Indeed if we confider
faith as a principle of univerfal obedience^
as containing in it all the divine and fo-
cial virtues ; and as being the fource and
fum of them ; if we confider it in this
light,
light, there will be no difficulty in ac-
coLiiiting for the higheft things that are
fuiJ of ic in the new teftament. But if
we coniider faith in contradifl:in(^tion
from theie virtues ; and from all obedi-
ence to God's commandments, no intel-
ligible and rational account can be given
of it ; why it fhould have that prehemi-
neuce ? why it fhould jultify ? why it
fliould be imputed for right eoufnefs ? But all
this will be durknefs and mjfiery ; which,
the* accouiited by fome, the chief glory
of the gofpel, feems to me to be no real
part of it's glory. The chriltian revela-
tion is glorious in refpec\ of the great
light which it affords us ; but not, furely,
on account of what is ftill left obfeurc
in it ! Otherwife the- apoflle might
more properly have congratulated thofe
who ikiViJat in darhiefs^ than tliofe who
were, by this dilpcnfation, called out of
it into viarvellous light, — - But not to di-
grefs : When iaith is ipoken of \\\ fcrip-
ture in the primary and retrained fcwky
or as it is contradiflinguiflied from true
piety and virtue, other things are plainly
preferred to it. Even the apollle Taul
iumfelf, who is tho't by fome to exalt
faith fo much, as to render every thing
clfe inconlidcrable in comparifon of it ;
even this llune apolUe undervalues faith
when
Of yujiijication by Faith.
25t
when put in competition with the moral Sf,rm.
virtues. " Tho^ I have ALL FAITH, VIII,
fays he, and have not charity, I am
NOTHING." And again, " Now abideft
faith, hope, charity, thele three ; but the
GREATEST of diefe is CHARITY."
And this is that more excellent way, which
he (hews unto us, after exhorting us to
*' covet earneftly the be ft gifts J' ThusSt.r
'Paul^ the great champion for juftifica- ■
tion by faith, undervahies faith when
confidered in dirtinftion from, and in
eomparifon of, virtue and obedience v^
Which plainly fhows,that when he fpeaks'
of our being juftified by faith, he cannot
mean faith, as diftinguiihed from charity,
and other chriftian virtues ; but as inclu-
ding them.-- — ~ As to the preheminence
which fome give to faith, in the affair of
juftification, on account of its being the
hand that lays hold on the righteoufnefs of
Clirift, and a going out of our J elves ; thefe
things, I confefs, are beyond my compre-
henfion : Only it were to be wifhed, that
fome people would not go out of their
fenfes, as well as out of themfelves ; and
both amufe themfelves, and pefter others,
with unmeaning phrafes, ^nd mere
Jargon.
Having thus confidered this notable
diJlinSlionj (that tho' true faith includes a
prin-
^52 ^f Jt^ftificatmi by Faith.
Serm. principle of obedience ; yet it docs
Vin. not juftify us confidered as containing
that principle, but exclufively of it, and
as oppofed to it ;.) I fhall juft mention
anoclier, which is equally edifying ; and
which has, indeed, been already hinted
at in this difcourfe. The difiindion 1
mean, is this, That tho* faith alone jufti-
fies us in this world,and intltles us to falva-'
tion in the Avorld to come ; yet obedience
to the gofpel is necefTary in order to our
being juftified at Chrift's tribunal here-
after, and fo,in order to our being aclual-
]y faved at lalh
Now if what is here faid were indeed
true, it would fcarce be worth while to
give ourfelves much concern about the
terms of juftification here ; whether we
are noiv julhfied by faith alone, or not i
This cannot be a very interefting and im*i
portant qucftion, provided it is certain
that w^e mult both believe in Chrill and
.obey Him, in order to our being finally
julHfied and faved by Him, when he Ihall
come to judge the world in righteoufnefs.
The grand interefting poir*-, is, Wliat the
gofpel requires of us in order to our be-
ing acquitted in that great day of retri-
bution ; and to our " going away intGJ,
life eternar* \ Which point being once re-
folvcrfjthe other is but of very little impor-%
tancc.
Of Jujitjlcation by Faith. 253
tance. It is rather a matter of curious Serm*
fpeculation for men of leifure, than of VIIL
ferious concernment to the fouls of Chrif- '
tians. So that there is either no founda-
tion for this diftindion ; or, if there is,
thofe who make it mii^ht be much better
employed in inculcating that piety and
Adrtue, which is acknowledged neceffary
to falvation ; than in eternally infifting
■upon the dodrine of juftification here by
faith only ; as if there could be no chrif-
tianity, no religion, without it !
But when this diftinftion comes to be
examined, there is realW nothing in it : it
is wholly without foundation ; and the
thing intended by it,isdemonftrably falfe.
We are not juftiiied here, and entitled to
falvation, on one condition ; and juftified
and actually faved hereafter, on another ;
but on the fame. That Avhich the gof-
pel has made neceffary in order to our
being acquitted and faved in the' day of
judgment, it has made equally neceffary
in order to our being juftified now, and
entitled to falvation. For (as has been
obferved already in this difcourfe) the
gofpel is the rule, by which thofe who
are under the difpenfation of it, are to ba
judged hereafter. So that we fhall then
be either acquitted or condemned, ac-
cording as we have, ox have not, com-
plied
254- Of yujiification by Faith.
Sf.rm. plied with the terms of it according to
VIIL their true intent and meaning, whatever
thofe terms are. And thefe terms being
the fame now that they will be hereafter,
without the leaft variation, it undeniably
follows, that fuch perfons as will be con-
demned by the gofpel then, muft be e-
qually condemned by it now ; and that
fuch as will then be juftified by it, and
no others, can be juftified by it at pre-
fent, or intitled to the falvation of it.
Betwixt the juftification and condemna-
tion of the gofpel, there is no medium.
Whom it does not juftify, it condemns ;
whom it condemns not, it juftifies. Nor
does length, or diftance of time, make
any alteration in this cafe.. We cannot
be juftified only by believing, at prefent,
unlefs we may be juftified only by be-
lieving, hereafter ; provided the terms of
the gofpel,like the author of it, are ** the
fame yefterday, to day and forever : " So
that what thefe men take for an impor-
tant theological diflinflion^ turns out ( like
Ibme of St. y1thanafius\) to be no better
than a palpable ccfitradicliofi. For there
cannot well be a more glaring repugnan-
cy than to fay, that the fame gofpel
which will condemn men for their difo*
bedience in the day of judgment, does not
alfo condemn men equally for Uieir difo^
be*
Of Jujlijication by Faith. 255
bedience now ; but juftifies tlxtva Jhlely Serm,
on account of their faith. VIIL
So much for the pretended * ** Article
of a jtanding^ or a falling Church'' 1 It is
really furprifing that fuch a do6lrine
ihould ever be believed by any : It is ftill
more wonderful, that it fhould ever be
embraced by any ivorthj, good men : But
what is moft aftonifhing of all, is, that
fuch an irrational, unfcriptural do&ine;
a doftrine of fo pernicious a tendency
with regard to the lives and manners of
men, (hould be infijied upon with pecu-
liar warmth and zeal^ as a moft important
and fundamental article of the Chriftian
Faith !
* It is humWy hoped that thofc worthy Clergymen^ who
have acquired fo great reputation for Uarning^ as well as
ortbtdoxy, by often quoting, in their Sermons, Luiber*SF'^
" Artictt!us jtantis vel cddenth Ecclejue, *' will n<« envy Am-*
pbu the incoaliderable honor of traojldting it.
SERMON
256
><x^<x><><xx><>^o<><><><:<><>c>o<>D<x><x>o<:>^^
SERMON IX.
Of the Nature and Principle of
Evangelical Obedience.
James I. 2r, 22.
LA T apart all filthinefs and /liperfluity of
naught inejs J and receive with vie chiefs th^
ingrafted ujord, which is able to Jave jour
fouls. But be ye doers of the word, and
not hearers only, deceiving jour ownfelves.
Tv^^' "X^JTAviNG, in feveral prececding
I I diicourfes, lliown the indifpcn-
i-ible neceflity of our being do-
ers of the word as well as hearers, in or-
der to the falvation of cur fouls, which is-
the great end of the Cfirillian revelation ;
having alfo pointed out to you fome of
thofe many ways, in which perfons may
be in danger of deceiving tlieir ownfehes
rx
of Evangelical Obedience. 257
in a matter of fo great importance ; and oERM*
given you an antidote againft the poilbn ^^'
of thofe errors, which are but too rife in '
the Chriftian world ; I proceed now to
the next thing propofed w^hen I enter'4
upon this fubjeft : Which was,
Eighthly, To explain more dil-
tinftly the nature and principle of Evan-
gelical obedience. And here, />/?, I fhall
confider the nature of this obedience, fo
as to diftinguifh it from the obedience of
a mere Moralift^ and of a Theijl ; and
alfo from that of good men, who lived
under the Jewifi difpenfation. And, fe-
condly, I fhall confider the principle from
which this obedience flows.
It is to be obferved in general, that all
obedience, properly fpeaking, confifts in
the obfervation of fome law or mle. Tlie
apoftle tells us, that '' where there is no
law, there is no tranfgrejjion :" It is e-
qually true, that where there is no law,
there can be no obedience ; all obedience
confifting in conformity to fome law, or
rule of conduft, as all traufgreffion con-
fifts in" a deviation therefrom. And
Chriftian^ or Evangelical obedience, is
nothing either more or lefs, than the con-
forming of our practice to the laws and
commandments of CHRIST, w4io is con-
ibtutcd the Lord and King and Judge of
S M.
258 Of the Nature and Principle
the world ; to whom all power iu henvnj
(Uid in earth is given, that all men Ihoiild
honor Him in like manner as they honor
the Father.
If you a(k W;(7rf vou are to look for
the laws of this '' King of Kings, and
Lord of Lords ? " I anfwer, Neither into
the volumes of nature,nor into your own
hearts ; tho' there are laws written there,
correfponding to them ; and written as
with a pen of iron and the point of a diamond.
You are not to look for them in the Sta-
tute-books, and other law-books in the
country,where you liappen to live ; or in
any of the civil edablifhments of religion.
Nor are you to look for them in the
tomes of theological writers, or the de-
crees of Popes and Councils ; where they
arc too often ?nadc void by vain traditions.
No ! you are to look for them only in the
gofpel of Chrift ; they being no other
than the precepts and rules of condut!:t,
which are found there ; and which were
promulgated, either immediately byChrill
himfelf ; or mediately,by his infpircd apof-
tles, the chief miniliers of his kingdom,
whomHe authoritatively fent forth to dc-
''/"^^ 20. clare his will, even as the Father had fent
^** Him.'*^ Thcfe laws ofChrill, our anointed
Sovereign, and whofe right it is to reign
over us, arc contained in their native in*
V i tcgrity
of Rv angelical Ohtdknce. 259
tegrity and pcrfeftion, only in the holySpRM*
icriptures ; more particurlaiiy of the new IX.
tefiament. This alone is the law-book of
Cbrijlians^ as inch ; tho' as men^ and mem-
bers of civil focietjj we have other laws
to obfervc. It is only in conformity to
the commandments of Chrift, as they are
contained in thefe Jlicred records^ that
chriftian obedience confitts. And it is a
manifeil folecifm to call any other obe-
dience chriftian^ or ^x'^;/^^//V/z/,befides that,
of which the laws of Chrift, or the gof-
pel, is the meafure and Jlandard.
Tho" thefe laws are nianj^ as they re-
fpecl our hearts, and external condud ;
as they prefcribe to us our duty towards
God, and our Saviour ; towards our
neighbour and ourfelves ; yet they are
fometimes confidered as one : Not only as
one Jyjiem or body of laws; but as oie
law ; the law of liberty^ by which we are
tohc judged) and againft which, whofo-
ever prefumptuoufly and habitually of-
fends^ tho' but m one point J is guilty of all:
i, e. He fo far violates the vjhoie^ and that
authority by which the whole is injoined,
that he is condemned as a hanfgrejjh\ even,
by this law of liberty ; and therefore can-
not be juftified and faved by it — -But this
is not the place for confidcring the extent
ofchriftian obedience— I Ihall tl^arefor<?
S 2 orJ/
26o Of the Nature and Principle
only juft obfervc here, that as on one
hand, it is certain the continued and wil-
ful violation of the chriftian law, in any
refpecl, is inconfiftent with that obedience
which is necefTary to falvation ; fo on the
other hand, it is equally certain, that a
perfeB conformity thereto, is not fo in-
difpenfably required, that w^hofoever
falls fhort of it, mufi: finally be condem-
ned. For to fuppofc this, were plainly
to turn the law of I I her tj' into a legal t/ij-
fenfation, from wliich it eflentially differs.
And were. this the cafe,it would be as im-
poffible, that juftilication and life fhould
come by the gofpel of Chr'ijl, as that it
lliould come b/ the law o( AIo/cs — But
Having obfjrved in ^d'^/dr^/, that chrif-
tian obedience confifts in conforming our
tempers and behaviour to the laws of
Chrirt ; it may be proper, for the better
underftanding of what is here intended,
to Ihow more particularly, how this obc^
dience is di(liii.:;ui{hed from any other.
And it certainly differs very widely
from obedience to the law of nature, or
the moral law ; efpecially in that narrow,
partial fenfe and acceptation of this law,
which confines morality to men's beha-
viour towards each otlier in civil and Ib-
cial life : and to the private virtues of
tempcrance,aad the like, without any re-
gard
of Evangelical Obedience. 261
gard to Tieity^ and a jnoral Governor, The Sf rm.
ancient pagan Moralifts generally confi- IX.
dered morality only in this light. When
they teach chat the law of reafon, or the
law of nature, is to be followed and ob-
ferved, (on many branches of which, they
treat with great propriety ) they ufually
mean no more, than that men are bound to
prafticejuftice, benevolence, fobriety, and
the other virtues of private and focial life,
as being, in their own nature,convenient,
fitting and decent. This is a notion of
virtue and obedience, which falls vaftly
jfhort of the Chriftian idea ; not only be-
caufe Chriftians are under obligation to
practice other duties befides thofe which
nature dictates ; but alfo becaufe chrifti-
anity ultimately refolves all duties into the
will of God, confidered as the all-wife,
good, and righteous Lawgiver, and the
moralRuler of the world. " There is one
Lawgiver, fays St. Jaines-y who is able to
fave and to deftroy." And " He that faid,
do not commit adultery, faid alfo, do not
kill." Our obedience is, " doing the -will
of our Father which is in heaven." What-
ever duty we are bound to praftice, it is
confidered as injoined upon us by the
authority of almighty God. All our good
and virtuous adions, are confidered as a
tribute which we owe to Him ; as a /S-
S 3 crifice
262 Of the Nature and Principle
Serm. crJfice ofTered to Him ; and Avith which
IX. He is * ivell pleafed. And, on the otlier
' — "^ ' hand, whenever we tranfgrefs our duty^
•//r^. 13. this is confidered as tranfgrefring thclaw
'^- of God : againft Him^ Htm on\y do we
fin. For the divine will and authority,
does, as it were, involve and fwallow up
all other obligations ; even the laws of
nature and rcalbn, as they arc fomctimcs
called, being the laws of Hiin who is
Lord of nature, and the Fountain of
all reafon.
But what has now been faid, only
dirtinguifhcs the obedience of Chriflian^
from iuch virtue as a n^ere Athcijl may»
in fome degree, be the fubjeft of For a
man may be, in fome meafure, juff, bene-
ficent, temperate, &c. from an internal
fcnfe of the reafonablenefs and fitnefs and
advantai^e of bcincr fo : altho' he is io far
from obeying and honouring God there^
ill, that he docs- not even believe his
exiftence. Our modern Tbeijls profeft
to go miKh farther than this ; tho' their
obedience, if they really pra(5fifed ngrea-
bly to their principles, (which they fel*
dom do) would fall much below that of
ChriiHans, who art up to their profeflion.
The Tbeifls profefs to reverence God as
the moral governor of the univerfe,whofe
will and laws are to be read in menV-
hearts.
of Evangelical Obedience. 263
hearts, and in the volumes of vifible na- Serm.
ture. And the diftates of nature and rea- IX.
fon, it is faid, ought to be obeyed, not
merely confidered as in themfelves fit to
be obferved ; but alfo becaufe they muft
be fuppofed conformable to the will of the
Dcitj ; and to have all the force of laws
enacted by Him : So that it may be con-
cluded, men will be rewarded or punifhed
hy Hhn, as they obey or difobey thefe laws.
I fpeak now only of the more fober and
rational part of modern Theifts. There
are others of them, who while they pro-
fefs to believe in God, deride all this as
mere fuperfiition and enthufiafyn \ f and
with whom it is nothing but the Inherent
amiablenefs of virtue, that claims regard \
virtue not being rewarded, nor vice pu-
niilied, as fuch, by a moral Governor and
hord ; tho' it is owned they have a tenden-
cy, in tlie very nature of things, to render
the fubjefts of them happy and miferable,
refpeclively. Whether thefe nominal
Theifts, are not really Athetjls at the bot-
tom, or, at bed EpicureanSy which comes
much to the fame thing at laft, I will not
pretend to determine. Only it is evident,
there is but very little difference betwixt
faying, that there is no God at all ; and
faying, that there is none who is to be re-
S 4 garded
•\ Cbara£ltrijiiils, paffim.
264 Of the Nature and Principle
Serm. garded and reverenced, as the righteous
IX. governor of the world ; none,\vho rewards
^'"^ — ^ and punifhes men for their anions. *
But as to the more fober and rehgious
Thcijlsy who confidcr the natural laws of
virtue, as the laws of God ; and who not
havingjor not acknowledging any reveal-
t n.m. 2. ^'^ '^^^^ y^^ '' ^'^ t ^y nature the things
14. contained in it," in Jbme meafurc ; even
Their obedience falls far fhort of thcChril-
tian ftandard. Chrillian obedience dif-
fers from Theirs^ not only as Chriftians
make a revealed law tlie rule of their obe-
dience ; and T%,only the light of nature:
(which would not, of itfelf,be fufficient to
conftitute a very eficntial difference, pro*
xidcdthG r/iatter of thefc laws were exacl:ly
the fame.) But it differs iji divers other re-
fpefts. The catalogue of Chriftian du ties
and virtues is confidcrably longer than the
Theijl's. Every duty of natural religion,
is indeed a duty of chrillianity ; of reveal-
ed religion. Birt the gofpel moreover
injoins upon us divers things, which are
not contained in the law of nature ; and
are no part of it. And the obedience paid
to thcfc different \a\vs,viz, of mere nature^
and of Chrillianity, mull differ as much^
at IcalL, as the laws themfclves differ.
Besides ;
• Such Pcrfons tre juflly fald hy the wife Roman, ** FerHt
pofuiiTc Dcum, rt fuUuliflc ; •] Or to that cffcd.
of Evangelical Obedience. 265
Serm.
Besides: Whoever duly attends to the IX.
Chriftian doftrine oi di Mediator, will find, ' ^'""^
not only that various duties refult from,
and are injoined upon us in confequence
of, that fupernatural interpofition of pro-
vidence ; but alfo that our obedience in
general is put upon a different footing
thereby, having, in the whole of it, a re-
ference to this great difpenfation of divine
grace to a finful world. All the precepts
of the gofpet, tho' they are truly the laws
of God \ yet thqy are not to be confidered
only in that light ; but as his laws promul-
gated by His only begotten Son, who has
redeemed us, and whofe fer^ants and /ith"
jeBs we more immediately are; Agrea-^
bly whereto it is faid, that we are " not
without law to God ; but under the law to
Chrijiy * God has fubje<?l:ed us to the rule • ir^.^.
and authority of His Son, in confequence ii-
of his undertaking and executing the me-
diatorial office. In our Saviour's oAvn
words, " The Father loveth the Son,and
hath given him authority to execute judg-
ment, becaufe he is the Son of Man : ''
i. e. becaufe he became incarnate. And
in the language of the Apoftle Taul, He
*' took upon him the form of a fervant,
and was made in the likenefs of men ; — •
and became obedient unto death, even
the
266 Of the Nature and Principle
the death of the crofs : Wherefore God al-
io hjch highly exalted him, and given
hi 111 a name, which is above every name:
that at the name of Jefus every knee
t^^/x7>.^. ihould bow." X ^<^- ^'o^v it is as inveltcd
'* witii tliis royal powxT and dignity ; as be-
ing the King -whom God hath jet upon his
holy htilofZion^ that Chrill: gives laws to
men ; not merely as a prophet, or divine
meffenger. He is ** made Head over all
things to the church " : and we are put
under his authority, in a fenfc wherein we
cannot be laid to be under that of any
other mellenger or minifter of Heaven,
whether human or angelical. From which
tronfiderations it is manifeft, that our o-
bcdience is more immediately due to the
SoH^ than to the Father; it being more
immediately by His authority, that the
various duties of the gofpel are enjoined
upon us ; and to him, that we are more
'immediately accountable for our conducl.
Allo^ving for the prefent,.( what is
far from being true, viz^ that the laws
of chriltianity are, in all rcfpecT:s the fame
with the laws and religion ot nature, and
only a republication of it ; yet, furely,
we could not be faidto pay a proper obe-
dience to them, without confidering
them as being the laws of Chrill, our Re-
deemer and Sovereign. And tl>is is wtiai:,
con-
ef Evangelical Obedience. 267
conftitiites one eflential difference betwixt Serm.
chriilian gbediencc, and any other. In IX.
order to a perfon's obeying as a Chriftian ^ — ^""^
ought to do, it is not only neceffiiry that
he performs the duties peculiar to Chrif-
tanity ; but alfo that he performs all others,
which may be common to this and other
religions, in obedience to Chrift, as his
Lord and Mafter and final Judge : doing
all things whatfoever he does in word or deed^
in the name of the Lord Jefus, * * CoL 3.
HowEx^E R , Chriftians do not ( at leaft ^ 7-
thcy'ought not to) fet afide the fupreme
authority and dominion of God, the FA-
THER Almighty : or, by attempting to
divide, really deftroy, the Monarchy of
the univerfe ; which is ftill in HIM alone;
the mediatorial authority of Chrift, being
derived from HIM, and fubordinate to
HIS. Tho' our obedience as Chriftians,
is due more immediately to our Lord Jefus
Chrift ; (as was faid before) yet it is ulti-
viately referred to His Father^ and our Fa-
ther, to His God and our God ; § who " is ^'^f' ^®'
greater than ALL ; " f and who has con-
ferred this dignity and authority on the t7<>^' »^.
Son. And of this important truth, viz. J^.' ^g.
that all the homage and obedience which
we pay to the Son, ftiould thus be refer-
red to, and terminate in, the Father ; of
this important truth, I fay, the apoftle ad-
monifhes
268 Of the Nature and Principle
monifhes us, when he tells us, that God
highly exalted his Son, that every tongue
might confefs him to be Lord, " to the
-t m^ glory of God, the FATHER." f
^- **• So that ChrilHans ought not, furely, to
pay any iiich obedience or homage to the
Son, as has a tendency to echpfe the
glory of God the Father ; who x"^ without
Rival or Competitor. The Dominion
andSovereignty of the univerl'e is neceffa-
rily one, and in ONE ; — ■liie only living and
true GOD, who delegates iiicli meafures
cfpov/er and authorky to other Bei^ip;-,
as ieemeth good in his fight ; but ** will
^ l"^' '^*' not give his [peculiar] glory to anothcr/'J
Our blefled Saviour does indeed aflert the
rights and prerogatives of /;// own crown;
but never ufurpcd thofe of His Fathers :
On the contrary, He conltantly and uni-
formly tells us, that his authority was
given to him of the Father ; and is exer-
cifed in fubordination to His will ; not
independently of it. He claims no autho-
rity, befides what he claims by virtue of
the Fathers grant, and the commiflion
Avhich he received from Him,
What is faid above, feemed needful
to prevent mif-conftnidion ; to fuggcft
the true ground of that obedience which
we ow^c to our bleifed Lord ; and to ihow
the perfcvS confiltency of paying it, with
the
of Evangelical Obedk?ice. 269
the Vnitj^ and xh^fupreme glory and do- Serm.
niinipn of God, the FATHER : *The not IX.
fuiliciently prelerving of which Unity and
Supremacy ainongft Chriftians, has long
been juft matter of reproach to them ; and
a great ftuinbling-block both to Jews and
Mahometans.'^ — » But to return,
As chriftian obedience is diftinguiflied
from that of mere Theijls^ by our making
a written revelation the rule of it ; by the
peculiar duties of the gofpel ; and by our
paying all our obedience more immediately
to Jefus Chrift, as our Redeemer, Lord
and Judge ; fo it is ftill farther diftinguifli-
ed therefrom, by the motives from which
it is performed.
The
With the metaphyfical abftraft natu c, or efiencc of the
Deity, I am not bold enough to meddle. Difquifitions of
this kind, and denunciations of God's vengeance againll
thofe who do not afFeft to be wifet or are not willing to be-
lieve, above what is written, are left to the unaccountable
Temerity of ihtAthanaJians. I €an, for my own part, free-
ly acquiefce in St. PauPs doftrine, in the moft obvious fenfe
of his words, viz. That " tho' there be that are called
*' Gods, whether in heaven or in earth ; (as there be god*
•• many, and lords mnny) but [yet] to us there is but ONE
" GOD, the FATHER—and One Lord, Jefus Chrift."—
I C9r. 8, 4. — " There is ONE GOD, and One Mediator
*' betwixt GOD and men. the Man Chrift Jefus" — i lim.
2, <j. Who the onls true G jD is, we may farther learn
from our Saviour's prayer, John 17. begin. " Thefc thing*
*' fpake Jefus ; and lift up his eyes to heaven, and faid,
" FATHER,glorifv thy .W— -This is life eternal that they
« might know THEE, the ONLY TRUE GOD, anJ
;" Jefui Cbrifl, whom THOU hift fcnt,"
270 Of the Nature and Principle
Th e obedience of a mere Theift may
be excited by a contemplation of tUe di-
vine goodnefs, and other attributes, as
manifefted in the creation of the world ;
and in that providence which fultains and
governs all things. But a Chriftian's o-
bedience is moreover, excited, I might
perhaps fay, more efpecially excited, by a
contemplation of God's perfections, as
manifefted in our redemption : And we
are conftratned hy the love of Cbrifty who
" died for all," when all were dead. The
Tbeijl may do acts of charity to his neigh-
bours confidered as his fellow-creatures,
the creatures of God. But a Chriftian
moreover confiders the relation in which
all men Hand to Chrift, who fo loved
them, as to give his life " a ranfom for all \*
And if he gives ought to a difciple, it is
in the name of a difciple that he does it, and
becaufe he belongs to Chrijl, The Theiji may
be fober and temperate becaufe this is rea-
fonablc,and conducive to health. But the
Chriftian moreover, confiders himfeif a^
^' the habitation of God thro' the fpirit ; "
and will not defile the temple of God, lellGod
fliould deftroy him. The Theift^ virtue
and obedience may be excited by fome ge-
neral confufed notions of a future ftate of
retribution. But aChriftian lives under the
habitual cxpcilation of a rcfurrediou, and
of Evangelical OUrliencs. 271
a future judgment ; when all they that Sfrm.
are in their graves fhall hear the voice of IX.
the Son of God ; and come forth, they thai '•— -nt-*^
have done good^ to the refurreHion of life ^ and
they that ha ve done evil^ to the refurreHwn of
damnation. The Theifl may obey, becaufe
he imagines his virtue (notwithflanding
all it's defeds) fo valuable in itfelf, that it
will fully and fufficiently recommend him
to the approbation of hisCreator. But the
Chrillian obeys, becaufe this will be ac-
ceptable to God thro' his Redeemer, and
be rewarded for his fake. In fine, the
obedience of a Chrillian, in all its parts
and branches, receives a peculiar tindure
and complexion from his profeffion ; and
is animated by the faith of the Son of
God, who has redeemed us by his blood;
find made us kings and priejis unto God,
to offer up fpiritual facrificeSj acceptable to
Him by Jefus Chrift, f • — Thefe things are
fufEcient to fhow the wide difference l ' ' *
which there is betwixt the obedience of
a Chriftian, and that of a mere "Theijl, e-
ven fuppoling the latter of them to live
up to his principles.
But it may be inquired,How chriftian
obedience differs from that of good men
under the law oiMofeSy before the com-
ing of Chrift in the flefh ? The refolution
of which inquirjjdepends very much up- '
on
272 Of the Nature and Principle
Serm. on another queftion, viz. How far the
IX. mediatorial fcheme of our redemption and
falvation, was opened toTheir underftand-
ings,during that preparatory difpenfation ?
If vv^e fuppofe this fcheme to have been
as clearly revealed to them m general, as
it fcems to have been to fome of the 7a^
triarchs before the law, and to fome good
men after, and under, it, the difference
will not be fo great as fome may perhaps
imagine. For it will then confift chiefly
in thefe two things :
I ft. In the externals, the modes and ri-
tuals of religion ; which, to be fure, were
very ditlerent under the Mofaic, and the
evangelical difpenfation ; the morality of
the law and of the gofpel being ftill the
fame. And
2dly. Whereas We believe and truft
in a Redeemer already come ; and are
hereby excited to obey : They believed in
the fame Saviour, as promifed, and look-
ed tor ; and were, by this expectation
of a Deliverer, ftimulated to the fervice
of God.
We are told exprefsly, that the gofpel
ivas preached to Ahraham^ who rejoiced to
fee the day ofChriJl approaching. And he,,
togctiier with others both before, and
after the Mofaic ceconomy took place,
•^verc juftified in tUc fame way, and up-
C4
of Evangelical Obedience. 273
on the fame footing of grace, thatweSERM*
are now ; Abraham being the father of ^^*
the faithful in all facceeding generations, '^'">'^''^
And the Author to the HebreivSy ha-
ving enumerated divers of thefe ancient
worthies, tell us, that *' thefe all died in .
" faith, not having re.ceived the promifes ;
^* ( /. e, the fulfilment of them) but hav-
" ing feen them afar off, and were per-
" fvvaded of them, and embraced them ;
*' and confefTed that thev were ftrangers
" and pilgrims in the earth. " * And of *f^^- "•
Mofes^ it is faid afterwards, that he " ef-
" teemed the reproach of Chrift, greater
*' riches than the treafures in Egypt ; ha-
*' ving refpe^l unto the rccompence of the
" reward." t Now according to thefe, . ^^,.25-
and fuch-Iike reprefentations in the new-
teflament, one would think that,excepting
the two particulars mentioned, there
could be no confiderable difference be-
twixt the obedience of good men before,
and after, the coming of Chrift.
But whether this knowledge of a Sa-
viour to come, were common to all good
men, under the laiv, or not, there is fome
ground of doubt. For tho' one great
end of the law was, that it might Jlmdoiif
forth good things to come ; that it might at
once admonifh thofe who were under it,
jof their need of a fpi ritual deliverer and Re-
T decmer^
2 74 Q/* ^^^ Nature and Principle
Sr R\r. deemer,and lead them to cxpcB, fuch aOne ;
IX. vet it is manilcll that the generality of
the Jeivs^ for Ibmetime before our Lord's
nativity, had no notion of tliis fpiritiial
meaning, and typical reference of the
law; and therefore interpreted all the pro*
phecies concerning the Meffiah, of a /r//;-
/^'^rr// Prince and Saviour. And whether
fome truly pious and virtuous men, were
not carried away with this piievailing er-
ror, I will not pretend to determine — Nor
can wc fully and thorouglily difcriminate
betwixt the obedience of good Jcius, and
good CbriftianSy unlefs we knew more ex-
artly than w^e do, what- tlie ideas and
fentiments of the former generally were,
refpefting the promifcd Saviour.
To conclude this head, concerning the
fiature.oi chriilian obedience — 'This obe-
dience is not only that which, for the
matter of it, is agreable to tlie precepts of
the gofpel ; but that which is performed
with a due regard to Chrifl, as our great
Prophet, Prieil: and King ; the Captain of
our Salvation ; the author and Jifiifrcr cf our
faith : That obedience, which has the gof-
pel revelation for its bafis and rule ; and
which is performed from views and mo-
tives proper and peculiar to this difpenfa-
tioa of divine grace. However right and
reafonable men's anions arc, confidercd
in
of Evangelical Obedience. 275
in themfelves ; however correfponding Sfrm.
to the law of liberty ; yet there is not, in ^X.
ftrifl: propnety, any thing of chriftian o-
bedience therein, any farther than they
are done with reference to the gofpei of
ChrilL Tiiis is the charafleri/lick of the
obedience we are confidering : hereby it
is diftinguiflied from any other. And
this will be farther evident from a confi-
deration of the grand principle of this obe-
dience, which was the Jccond thing pro-
pofed in the beginning of this dilcourfe,
and to which I now proceed.
Th e great principle of chriftian obe-
dience, is' chrifiian faith ; faith in Chrift,
and in God thro* him. I add — /;/ God
thro h 1,11', becaufe the faith of Chridians
does not terminate in Chrifl: as the uUi*
mate^ ( tho' he is the mmedfate ) obje<^t
of it: but it is extended, thro' him, to
the one God and Father of alL And to
beget in men that belief and truft in
God, which is here intended, was one
grand defign of the mediatorial undertak-
ing. Chrift came into the world in his
Father's name, as fent and commiffioned
by Him, to declare and reveal Him. And
in His name he fpake to the world con-
cerning God, .and His kingdom. All he
taught, did and luffered, refered ultimate-
ly to the Father ; the end thereof being to
T z hrino^
Of the Nature and Principle
bring us to Cod, A palTagc in the apoftlc-
Tctcr will both illulh'atc and confirm the
thing here intended ; where, Tpeaking of
our Saviour, he lays, that he '* was forc-
" ordained before the foundation of the
'' world ; but was manifefl: in thefe laft
" times for us, who by /j/?fi do believe in God
" that railed him from the dead,and gave
" him glory, that our faith and hope might
" be inGrodJ'-\ From hence,and from many
other palTages of fcripture, it is evident
that chridian faith is not merely a belief
in Chrilt, or reiving upon him for falva-
tion ; but rather a belief and hope in God
thro' him ; a belief that He is whatChrift
has declafed him to be ; that He is that
righteous, that good and gracious Being,
which the gofpcl reprefents him to be;
that He v^ reconciling the li^orld unto hiwjeify
by fuch means, and upon fuch terms, as
are therein mentioned : A belief, that
Chrift is *' the way, the truth and the
life ; that no man can come unto the Fa-
ther, but by him ;" or that linners can
obtain eternal life in that method, and
that alone, which he has opened and re-
vealed 4
This is the proper notion of chriftian
faith : And, indeed, to fuppofe that faith
tcrminntci in Chrift, as tlie ult/^nate ob-
ject of it, is incoiililtent with lus being a
■^t- ^lediator
of Evangelical Obedience. 277
Mediator at nil. We lofe the very idea. of Sep M,
a Mediator upon this ilippolition. li Chrift IX.
is really '' the Mediator betwixt God and
Man ;" he is to be believed on as luch ;
and our faith muft terminate, as was
obferved before, in that God^ betwixt
Whom and us, he mediates. — And having
premifed thus much concerning the na-
ture of chrifUan faith in general ; (w hich
is much mirtaken by many ) I am now
to Ihow, that this is the great principle of
chridian obedience. I do not mean, that
all who thus believe in Chrift, and in God
thro' him,* do actually obey the gofpcl ;
(which is contrary to facl and experience)
but, that all Y;ho obey it, obey it from
this principle. It is this faith that purifies
their hearts ; and animates them in the
difchar2:e of all the duties of the chriftian
life — Let me explain myfelf a* little more
particularly upon this point.
It is very evident that no man can
obey as a Chriftian, who has not the faith
of a Chriftian. It is fuppofeable that a
Mahometan, or even an Atheifi, might ^x-
/^r«£7//>'- perform any duty which the gof-
pel injoins upon us. But if a Mahometan
or Atheijl^ known to be fuch, ftiould per-
form many of thefe duties, no one,furely,
would call this chriftian obedience. Evan-
gelical faith being wanting, there cannot,
T 2 properly
278 Of the Nature and Principle
Sf^m. properly fpeakinj;, be any thing of evan-
IX. gclical obcciience in any adions \v! .atcver.
Such faith in Chrifr, awd in God
thro' him, as is mentioned above, has a
very natural and apparent tendency to
make the fubje^ls of it truly pious and
virtuous ; and to yield that obedience to
the gofpel, v/hich is required of them.
As far as the belief of any thing ; as far
as any fairli, in thxc primary and mofl
proper fenfc of the term, can iuHuence
the tempers and prafticesof men ; fuch a
faith as I am fpeaking of,bids the faireft of
any, to have a good iniiuence upon men's
hearts and manners ; to turn them from
fin to God ; and to induce them to obey
his commandments. What can be fup-
pofcd fufficient and etfedua! to this good
cwA^ if a belief of fuch truths as • are re-
vealed in the gofpel ; if believing Chrift
to be really that divine meflenger which
he is faid to* be ; if believing, that lie came
into the world to redeem \\^^ according
to the evangelical account of this matter;
if believing in God, thro* him, believing
inhisrighteouihefs and holinefs; hisgood-
nefs and mercy ; his promifes and tlireat-
nings ; what, I fay, can be fuppofed fuf-
ficient and cflev^ual to turn men from fin
to rightcoufncfs, it* fuch a faith as this, has
not that hiluicnce and cflicacy ? if it leaves
the
of Evangelical Obedience. ) 279
the fubje(^ls of it, as it found themi^jf^'^t-^r/SERM.
//; trefpaffes and fins ? Tliere is cenaialy IX.
no faith, confidered in the tirfl and moft
proper kwi^c of the word, which can dif-
engage men from their evil courles, and
induce them to love andferve God, if this
faith fails to do it. And as this is the ob-
vious tendency of it ; fo
It is manifeft thro'out the new-tef-
tament, that the apoltles of our Lord,and
other holy men, lived under the influence
of fuch a faith. This was the fpring,and
fource, and animating principle of their
obedience. It was this, that made them
abhor that which is e-vil, and cleave to that
which is good. It is by this faith, that they
are faid to have walked : And the life
ii/hich they lived in the flejhy they lived by
this faith of the Son of God, This is the
faith, which is faid to work by love -' And
this is the vi3ory that overcometh the world^
•fays St. John, even your faith. It w^as by
faithjthat thefe holy men run with patience
the race fet before them : It was by this
Jhield of faith, that they were armed a-
gainft all temptations ; and wherewith they
were enabled to quench all the fery darts of
th<; wicked. In fine it was faith, that gave
them fpirit and courage to encounter,and
ftrength to overcome, all difficulties and
dangers, m the difchargc of tlaeir duty
T 4 — Tiic
2*5o Of the Nature and Pi'inciple
' — The account which the apoflle gives
us of ibme renowned men before the
coming of Chriit, ( \vhole faitli was not
cllcntially different Irom our's) is ngreablc
to what is faid above. ** Bj faith, Mofcs,
^' fays he, w hen he was come to years,
*' refufed to be called the fon of Pha-
" rcah's daughter — Bj faith he forlbok
^' Egypt, not feai'ing tlie WTatli of the
*' King ; for he endured as /tw/g- him -who
^' is invijible' — " And w hat" (as the a-
polHe goes on) *' fhall I more fiy ? for the
*' time would fail me to tell of Gideon,
*' and of Barak, and ofSampfon, and of
•* Jeptha, of David alfo and Samuel, and
" of the prophets ; who thro faith fubdu-
ed kingdoms, lurought righteoufncfs^' &c.
Thus was faith the great operative prin-
ciple in good men, even before the com-
ing of Chrifl: : It was the fame principle in
general, which WTought in the apoftles
and primitive chriftians : And it is this
principle that operates in good men, in
all fucceding ages. This is the heavenly
feed, which taking root iii the heart,
fprings up, and ripens into good fruit;
This is the fource and fountain from
whence obedience flows : And without
fuch a principle of faith, there can, as
has been oblerved before, be no obedi-
ence properly cvan^elicaL But
Not--
of Evangelical Obedience. 28 c
Notwithstanding the vifible, Serm,
apparent tendency of faith, to produce o- IX.
bedience ; to make men truly pious and
virtuous ; and altho' no perlbn docs, or
can, obey the gofpel, but from this prin-
ciple ; yet it is manifefl both from Icrip-
ture, and daily obfervation, that people
may be the fubjeAs of faith, while they
live in difobedience to ChriiVs command-
ments : They may have faith, without
having their tempers and manners con-
formed to the didates of it : Their lives
and practice may be contrary to what
they profefs to believe ; yea, to what they
aftually do believe. So that tho' faith is
the true principle of obedience, in all
thofe who obey ; yet it is not, in fad
and event, a principle of obedience in all
that believe ; for there are vicious be-
liev^ers ; as well as vicious infidels. We
learn from the new-teftament, that many
who believed in Chrifl and the gofpel, of
old, wholly apoftatized from the faith af-
terwards ; fome in a fhorter, and fome in
a longer time. Many others, who did not
make Jljipw reck concerning faith, but con-
tinued to hold it"; yet held it in iinrighteonf-
nefs ; making fiipiureck of a good confcience ;
and being to every good work reprobate.
Our own obfervation may, perhaps, il-
luflrate and verify thefe reprefentations of
fcrip-
282 Of the Nature and Principle
Sfpm. fcriptuVe. Have we not known fomc^
IX. who profeffcd to believe in Chrill; to triift
in the mercy of God thro'liim ; and even
to be very confident of their title to eter-
nal life ; ( of whc>!n we cannot pretend to
fay, that they did not thus believe, and
truft, and confidently expert falvation )
Have wc not, I fay, known feme fuch
perfons, who \\Tre far from being good
men, if the tree is to be known and judg-
ed of by its fruit ? Yea, have we not
known fbme, who were not only belie-
Tcrs ; but very warm and zealous ones, who
have \v\\o\\y departed from the faith ^ giving
he^d to /educing fpirits, as was foretold ? *
Have we not leen examples of fuch as our
Saviour fpeaks of, who " hear the word,
and anon with joy receive it ; yet not ha-
ving root in themfelves, endure ovAy for a
It is very evident then, that faith is
not really a practical principle in the
hearts of all believers : Some of them are
very little, if any thing,the be:ier for their
faith — And there is one thing that defer ves
a particular notice here : Which is, That
the Apoflles, in their epiflles to particu-
lar perfons, or to cliriflian churches, ne-
ver fpcak of the vicious ^ impenitent profef-
fors of chriftianity, as being deflitute of
true faith ; or as being really unbelievers^
wlxilc
I. Tim.
4. I.
ef Evangelical Obedience. 283
while they profefled to have faith. On Serm.
the contrary, they always take it for IX,
granted, that thcfe perlbns, however
wicked, were really beUevers notwith-
{landing their wickednefs ; exhorting
them to repent and amend ; and to live
fuitably to their holy vocation. In this
refpeft, at lead, there is a very remark-
able difference betwixt the Apoftles, and
fome modern preachers of the gofpeL
The latter fpeak to, and of, all the wick-
ed profeiTors of chriftianit3^,as unbelievers,
as deftitute of true faith ; upon a pre-
fumption that where faith is, there will
always be obedience ; or, that no true
believer, can remain vicious. • Now I am
bold to fay, that this manner of preacliing
is altogether unfcriptural ; and that there
cannot be a fingle inftance produced,from
the writings of the apoftles, which jufti-
fies it. For, as was faid before. They al-
ways take it for granted, that men may
be really believers^9.nd addrefs them asjucf?,
how much foever their lives and morals
might refemble thofe oi pagans and infidels.
So that we cannot reafonably doubt, but
that faith, true faith ^ which is a principle
of obedience in fome pcrfons, is noty3 in
others ; not working by love^ nor producing
the fruits of right eoufie/s.
Some will probably inquire, How
it
284 Of the Nature and Pr'mciplc
Sr.RM. it comes to pafs, that faith, which is the
IX. principle and Iburce of obedience in fome
pcribns, (hould not be {o in others, uni-
verfdlly \ Why the hearts and manners
of many lliould be intiuenccd by their
faith ', while the hearts and manners of
as many, perhaps a much greater num-
ber, fliould be U:i much at variance with
their faith ? fo oppofite to what they pro-
fefs to believe ; and which they really do
believe, according to the prcfcnt hvpothc-
fis ? And, indeed, tho' the poflibility oi
this, and the truth of the luppoiition, is
evident from the whole current of fcrip-
ture, and verified by daily experience ;
yet it may >vell be accounted one of the
greateft fpeculative difficulties that occurs,
upon the fubjeft of religion : And it is
one, of which it is, perhaps, beyond the "
fphere of human underftanding to give
a. clear and full folution ; fincc it fecms
plainly to run up into the old queftion
concerning liberty ; fo that They w ho can
fully clear up all the difficulties attending
the dortrine of human freedom, as op-
pofed to necefrity,can be at no lofs for an
anfwer to this- — But who They arc, I
have not yet found
SoMK think this fad is fufficiently ac-
counted for, only by fuppofmg that good
and wicked mca under the gofpel, (tho*
botli
of Evangelical Ohedieiice. 285
both of them arc truly believers) believe Serm.
in difierent degrees of intenfenefs. There IX.
are doubtlefs degrees in faith ; there is a
ftrong and lively foith, as well as a weak
and languid. Thofe who are the fubjefts
of the former, it is faid, are obedient to
the dictates of it ; faith, in them, becom-
ing an operative, praftical principle :
Whiiil thofe, whole faith is feeble and
weak, do not give themfelves up to the
guidance of it ; this weak faith not being
a practical principle, as the other is : But
if it were ftrengthened to a certain degree,
it is fuppofed, it wouVl become fo ; and
certainly be produftive of good fruit,- — .
Thus, as fome fuppofe, it comes to pafs,
that faith is actually a principle of obedi-
ence in fome perfons, and not in others.
But this is flir from being a full folution
of the difficulty : For the queftion ftill
occurs, how it comes t6 pafs that fome
men are thus /?r<5;/g- in faith ; while others
give but a feeble and cold alTent to the
great truths of chriftianity ^ Befides, if
there is any fuch thing as human liberty,
it is certain that, of diiferent men, whofe
faith is the fame, both for kind and degree,
fome may art agreably, others contrary
thereto : And to fay, that all men whofe
£iith is alike ftrong, muft aft alike, is, in
cffed, to deny that men are free creatures ;
unlefs
2 86 Of the Nature and Principle
Serm. unlcfs we fuppofc their freedom lies rather
IX. ill believing, than ading. For if there
is a necefTary connection betwixt men's
faith and praBicey it is plain that they can-
not be free in' the latter of thefe refpe6ls ;
fo that they mult either be free in the/Sr-
rnevy or not at all. And, to human ap-
pearance, fome great and ftrong believers
are much worfe men, than fome who
have but little faith. .
Others fuppofe that here is ^ fpe-
cifc, efential difference in the faith it-
felf, of thofe who obey the gofpel,
and of thofe who do not : From which
difference in the kind and nature of their
faith, it is faid, we are to account for the
difference which there is in their lives and
manners ; one of them being always, and
univerfally, a principle of chriftian obe-
dience ; the other, never. But it feems
impoffible to give any intelligible account
of this (u^^ffokd fpecifc difference in men's
faith. For to fay, that one man's faith is
wrought by the fpecial operation of the
fpirit ofGod upon his heart; and another's,
not ; is not to point out to us the differ-
ence which there is fuppofed to be in thefe
men's faith ; but only to tell us, how thefe
different perfons come by their faith :
Wiiich is quite another thing. If two
perlbns afleut to die fame divine truths ;
if
c. •. I ;•->
of Evangelical Obedknu. 287
if they believe in the fame God ; if they Sfrm,
depend upon the fame Saviour ; their IX.
faith is, for kind^ the fame, in how dif-"
ferent a manner foever we may fuppofe
they became the fubjeds of it. Tliis faith,
as was faid above, ma)", indeed, be ftrong
in fome perfons, and weak in others : But
this makes only a gradual^ not a fpecific
difference in their faith itfclf.
Some, who fuppofe there is a fpecific
difference betwixt the faith of obedient,
and that of difobcdient chriftians ; in or-
der to make out this difference, and to
fhow how faith becomes a principle of o-
bedience in fome perlbns and not in o-
thers ; tell us, that one is a penitent faith,
an humble faith, an holy faith ; and fo
on : Whereas the other is an impenitent
faith ; not humble, unholy, &c. But upon
examination, it will appear, that this is
rather to tell vis how men differ from each
other, than how their /j/>/; differs. For
fince a penitent faith, includes penitence,
an humble faith, humility, and an holy
faith, holinefs ; to fay . that one perfon
has a penitent, humble, holy faith ; but
that the faith of others is not a penitent,
not an humble, not an holy one ; really
amounts to no more than faying, that
fome believers are penitent, humble and
holy J but that other believers are not fo.
Which
2 88 Of the Nature and Principle
Srrm. Which is only telling us,ho\v widely pro-
IX. fclTed chriftians differ I'rom each other in
their moral and religious charafter ; not
fhowing us how the faith of a good man
iXi^itvs Jpccijicallj from that of a wicked
one.
The fame faith, both for kind and
degree^ may be attended, or accompanied,
with different qualities in different men.
One believer may be wife and learned ;
another fimple and unlearned. Does this
difference betwixt the men, infer any //r-
cific difference in their faith ? No furely !
Thus alio one believer may take a par-
ticular pleafure and delight in the exer-
cife of one w^orldly calling or occupation ;
another, in another. Do thcfc different
turns of men's minds, infer a fpccificM-
ference in their faith ? You will juftly
anfwer, None at all. Well : .In like man-
ner (for aught that has hitherto appeared)
the fame faith may be accompanied with
repentance,humility, holinef$,in one man;
and with hardnefs of heart, pride, unho-
Jinefs, in another. Theic contrary quali-
ties mav be found in believers ; the for-
mer of them in fome, the latter in others:
But neither of them are faith, JiriSlIj
and properlj fpeaking ; but fomewhat quite
diftinft from it. Tho' fomc behcvers
ftre penitent* humble and internally holy ;
yet
of Evangelical Obedknce. 289
y<zt thcfc moral and religious qualities, 5>ERM.
or thefe chridian graces, flr'iHly Ipcaking, ^ ^^*
nro not faith ; but they are as diftinft '
from it, as wifdom and learning ; or any
other natural ajid civil accomphfhments ;
or any particular turn of mind, with
relation to fecular employments. We
might as v/cll ftiy, that there is a fp^cifc:
difference betwixt the faith of a wife man,
and that of an ignorant one ; betwixt the
faith of a chriftian ;;/i^^//?r^/6', and that of a
cliriftian merchant ; as that there is fuch a
difference betwixt the faith of a/?/;//, and
that of a fin?ier : Yea we might as well
fay, that there is a fpecific difference be-
twixt the faith of a man of a/rz/r, and one
of a c/iirk complexion ; — the faith of an
EuropeaHy and that of tjie JEthiop'iayi bap-
tized by Thilip. For, in truth, learning
and ignorance, civil magiftracy and mer-
chandize, darknefs and fairnefs of com-
plexion, are not more diftinft from faith,
properly fo called, than moral and religious
qualities are ; fuch as repentance, humi-
lity and holinefs. Thefe good qualities
are not only diltincl from faith, and faith
from them ; but there is no necejfary con-
nexion betwixt them. Some believers
are poflefled of them ; others are not.
Nor can this fa6l be accounted for, by fup-
pofing, that there is a fpecific difference
' U • betwixt
iz^o Of the Nature and Priiiciph v
betwixt the faith of the former, and that of
tlic latter. For if there were really anv
fuch difference, yet the quellion would
Itill recur. How comes one man to have
the good faith r another, only that of an
inferior kind I And b^fides ; thofe who
have endeavoured to make out fuch a
fpccific difference, have not,by any means,
done it. For thev either only tell us how
wc come by true faith, faying it is wrought
iJi us by the fpirit of God, &c. (which,
how^ever true it may be, is not to fhow
us w^herein that faith, confidered in itfelf,
differs from any ether ) Or elfe they tell
us, it is a penitent, humble, holy faith :
Which is, in effcd, to fiv, tlvat the faith
of fome men differs Jpvajiccilly from that
of others, by having fomewhat which is
really diftincl- from faith, joined with it ;
^'/3. repentance, humility and hoHnefs.
So that to have recourfe to tliis fuppofed
fpecifc difference in men's faith, in order
to account for fome men's obeying, and
others not obeying, the gofpel ; is really
no more than faying, in other words, that
fome men obey the gofpel, becaufe they
do not only believe, but are alfo penitent,
humble and internally holy ; ;. e, they o-
bey it, becaufe — -they obey it ! Wlnle o-
tliers difobey it, becaufe, tho* they be^
lieve, yet they remain impenitent, proud^
unholy ;
of Evangelical Obedieiice. 291
unholy ; /. e. they difobey it, becauie — oERM.
they difobey it ! And is not this a very IX^
notable iblution \ When the very thing
which is' inquired, is. How it comes to
pafs, that Ibme believers are penitent,
humble and holy ; others the revevie I
By this time, I llippofe, it is very evi-
dent, as was hinted above, that this in-
quiry runs diredly into another ; and ter-
minates therein : I mean, the perplexing
queftion concerning human liberty ; and it
can only be refolved fully by thofe, w^ho
can fully reconcile our freedom (which
ought not to be doubted of)wdththe fcrip-
ture-doftrine of God's fore-knowledge,
and eternal counfels ; of his governing
providence, and the operations of his fpirit
and grace. To pretend to anfwxr the
clifficuky, by yd';r^7';?g- human freedom, and
rcfolvmg all into the abfolute fovereignty,
and power of God, is only to cut the knot
— ^And on the other fuppofition, that we
are free, there is fomewhat in this fub-
je(5l, which is, even at firft view, above
humanity — -fomewiiat, to which we can-
not attain — fomewhat, which is evidently
too high for creatures of fuch limited facul-
ties ;and probably for all CREATURES.
And if we exercife ourfelve^ in thefe things ^
I know of no valuable end it can anfwer
• — except that of convincing us of our ig-
U 2 norance,
292 Of the Nature and PrwcifU
Sf-RN^ norancc, 'till wc come, at lall:, to lit
^^- Jowii contented and rcligncd, vjhcre the
^^■"^^ Jioly aportlc did, laving with him — .** O
*' the depth of the riches both of the
** wifdom i\ni\ knowledge of God ! how
*' unlearcJiable are his judgments, and his
-fR^ny II '^ ^,^••:l\s p:iil finding out I " f God's counfci
^^" -and providence gc\crn the world ; but vet
men arc free I —
And if we are really free creatures, uc
cannot go any forther towards a iblution
of the quelHon we have been confidering,
than tliis — ^Some men 7f'/7/ and cb/i/e to
conform their tempers and pradice to their
faith ; and do fo, by the concurring in-
fluences of God's Spirit. Others li'/// and
chu/e to continue in their fms ; not as be-
ing tempted (much lefs c^jwpellecl) thereto
cf God ; but being *' drawn away of
•Jr.ncii.^*' xhew own lulls and enticed/'^' Higher
H- than this, I think, we cannot go, without
lofino: ourfelves. We mult either take
up \\ ith this fimple, feriptural account of
the matter; or cHe bewilder ourfehes
with that, both ucedlefs,and fruitlefs inqui-
ry, What determines our will and choice
to one fide, rather than to the other I
With relation to which quclHon, I Ihall
only obferve, That in all thofe refperts,
wherein we arc ac^Kially /Vrr, (whatever
refpcds they are) certainly nothing deter-
aiiiics
of Evangelical Ohediencc, 293
•mines us ncccljariiv, or uiiTjcAdahh^ fo that S"ERM.
\ve coiiid not but make the choice we do : IX.
We are Arbiters here, chuiing for, and
determining, Ourfclvcs ; this being the
proper notion ai:id jiature of liberty, as
oppofed to neccllity.
Thosp: perfons who deny the fore-
knowledge, and the eternal purpoles of
God, becaule they cannot clearly recon-
cile this doclrine with that of human li-
bertv, leem very worthy of blame : Since,
if the Icriptures are true, theib doftrines
mull both be true: But thofe who,becaufe
of thedilliculty which they find here, deny
that man is free, arc Hill much more
blameable : Becaufe the denial of liberty,
is the charging of all our fms on God ;
making him the author, as well as the
puniflier, of them : and fo, abfolutely de-
Itroys his moral character : Whillt, at the
fame time, this is of the moft fatal tenden-
cy with reference to practical religion-—
In that revelation, with which God
has favoured us, it is forever taken for
granted, that \\ e have a felf-detcrmhnng
powder ; (w'hatever difficulties may attend
the fuppofition) I mean, the power either
of accepting the mercy offered us, by
complying with the gracious terms of it ;
or rejecling the counfel of God again fl our*
fclves. So that none ever had, or fliall
U 3 , have
294 ^f i^^ Nature and Principle
Serm. have, juft caufe to complain, that thcGod
IX- of all grace and mercy^ ib cruelly mocked
^"■^^^^'^ and infulted them, as to oflcr them de-
liver ance from the wrath to come^ and eter-
nal life in his moft glorious prefencc, upon
hnpraB'tcahle conditions : Which would, in
effed, be to give us a fjght of heaven, on-
ly to render us more wretched in the lol^
of it ; and to make damnation itjelfthc
more intolerable ! Such doctrine as this
we, indeed, fometimes hear ; fuch hard
fpeeches ! — But if vou can believe Him,
for whom it is impojphie to Ije, *' Life and
death are Jet before you^ bleffing and cur*
fmg :" And of this, both " heaven and
" earth are called to bear record ; there-
^ Deut. u fore CHOOSE Life!"* f
^ ^ But
•f There arc many things attended with infuperable oiffi-
culties in fpcculation ; things, of which no clear account, or
R>]tionale can be given ; yea, which fcem to run us into fome
■abftjrdicy, if fuppofed true : Which tiling? arc, ncvcrthcicfs,
certain, indubitable f«5l3 ; fuch as cannot be denied, without
denying our own daily cxp rience. Liberty, as oppolcJ to
ncccflity, I ia!.:c to be fomcwhat of ihis kind. Great perplex-
ities and difiiculrics arifc apon the luppofition of it ; but much
greater, upon the denial. All humsn language is exa<^ly
acfommcdated to the dc^rire cf freedom : fo that we could
noither undcrftand eachother, nor ouifclvcs, witliout the idea
oif libcnv ; or a power both of choofing and a^ing t'trioujly,
or dtffirently, within a certain Tphcre. under the fame given
cirCumllances. For lliis is the true, proper notion ot liberty c
At Icaft, this is the fcnfc in wlich the terms liUrty, freedom^
aflivi pfx'cr, arc ufcd in this note. Ard without the idea of
<'uch t power, what do wc mean by fuch forms of cxprciCon ti
ihcfc, whi h arc common ' viz. That wc can do fo or io ;
but cannot do another thing : That wc would do this or thar,
1
of Evangelical Obedience. 295
But it is not intended in what is faid a.- Serm.
bove,concerning human power and Hber- IX.
U 4 ty, "
if we coukl ; but cannot : And, vlceverjj. That we could
do this or that, it we would ; but will not : That we
will try, or ufe our' endeavours to do fo or {o ; and do it,
if we can. This is the language of nature ; and every min
underftands thefc forms of exprellion : Which, yet, would be
quite fcnfclef? and unintelligible to us, without the idea and
luppofition of liberty. There would be no foundation for
I'uch a dilHn6lion betwixt what we can, and what we cannot
do, ^'c. All men have therefore the idea of liberty : which
is, indeed, one of the moH plain and fimple of all our
ideas: Even children have it. And
It may be fairly argu'd that we are free, and confcious to
ourfelves of our being To, from our having this idea. For
how did we, atfir,'}^ come by it ? It could not, I think,
come into our minds, originnUy^ from any thing external and
material^; or by means of any of our corporeal fenfes and or-
gans. There feems to be nothing in all vifiblc nature, which
could fuggell it to U3 at firft ; tho' fpontaneous animal motion
bi s the faircll for it. If we had not aflually experienced
the thing ourfelves, we could have no more idea of ir, than a
blind man, of colours, or a deaf one, of founds. This idea
could be gotten only by refleding upon what has pafl'ed in our
own minds ; upon what we have experienced in ourfelves,
by a kin! of internal fenfation. We are, therefore, confcious
of our freedom : So that thofe who deny there is any liberty
in man, do not only contradift the experience of others • but
their own. For they have this idea, no lefs than others ;
which yet, they could not have, but from experience.
However : If it fh -)uld be faid, that we do not get the
idea of adive power, by refle^ling on our own experience ;
but that it might be naturally fuggefted to the mind ab extra,
by animal motion, of which we are daily witnefies ; or by a-
ny other phcenomena in nature : It will, even from hence
follow, that there are really fomephoenomena in nature, which
c jrrefpond to this idea ; for otherwife the idea coiild not have
been naturally fuggefted to our minds by thefe appearances.
So that, even upon thisTuppofition, it follows that the notion
of liberty, or a£live power, is a natural one ; bro't into our |^
minds by daily obfci-va.tion. And if this is the cafe, it is
furely natural to believe there is freedom : Confcquently to
dcn]^
296 Of the Nature and P?'i?iciple
Serm. ty, tliat men cither do, or can, obey the
IX. gc^fpel in the manner required of them^
inde-
deny this, is unnn'ural ; and to contraci<f> a man's own daily
obfcrvation. For we do not live a (^ay wi'hftut ficing what
has, at leail, the appearance of liberty ; and what, according
to the prcfent fuppofition, originally liiggefted to us the no-
tion, or idea of it.
There is, demonftrably, liberty /enrrayZvr^ ; in Tome One
Being, at icall. All things could not h^ve proceeded \v. an
eternal feric^ of nece/Tary caufes and cfTvjt^s, each ot whi; h is
both an cffeft with relation to fomewbat prccecding, and a
caufc with relation to fomethinj; following. We muft afcond,
and follow the chain, 'till we come to a firlt Mover, how dif-
tant and remote focver : Which firll Mover, muft be a free
Being, or have a principle of adive power, v.hich is ihc fdnie
thing. He cannot be neccfP.rily a(5\uaicd by any thing :
Which would be, in €ffc<fl, to fuppofe [h:re is a Caufc of the
firll Laule ; or that the firll Caufc is a neccfTary cfFc6l of ano-
ther ncctH'ary Caufe, k^c Is' c.
To deny to this great firll Ctufe, the power of innparing
to his creatures a ^w^'/^/wr^ of freedom ; or of making a free
crraturc, who can either chu'c and ad, or not, within a certain
fphcre, ( how narrow and limited foever that fpheie may be '•
is making much too free uith IUk. There is not the lealt
contradidlion or abfurdity, in the fuppofiticn of a creature's
having aflive power, or bs-ing a frte f^H^t. And
If adlive power be not an incovitrumcalh attribute of the
Creator ; ( which we have ro r^afon tf» think it is ) or if s
creature may /)^(^/y be endow'd with liberty ; we have no
rcalon to duutt but that we have it cjrjehes : Since, upon fup-
pofition that we were adually free, we could not be more
txperi mentally certain that wc were fo, than we arc at prefcnt.
That we are pofTcfl'ed of adivc power, i$ fo immediately, fo
experimentally known by us ; and we have fuch an inward
confcioufnefs and feeling of it ; that no difiiculties, merely
J'peculadve, can overthrow, or in any mcafurc irivalidate, this
evidence of it. Wc arc not more certain of any one thing, ex-
cept, perhaps, of our own cxiiUncc, than that wc are free
^^ But it will perhaps be faid, that tho' wc do. indeed, yj-fw
loourfelvcj to be free ; yet wc may not really be fo : Thri
miy be til a dcluiion.— To which it ii anfwcrcd, that if thit
fh.oul<A
of Eva?tgerical Obedience. 297
iiuicpciidciuly of the concurrence and Serm.
blcllijig of almight}^ God, The meanmg IX.
is
fiiould in fa£l be the cafe, it Is impoflible for us to know it to
be fo ; or to have any realbn to think it fo ; fince we arc as
immediately and experimentally certain of our freedom, as
we are of any one thing whatever, with the fingle ex'epti )n
iHL-niioned before. Tliofe notions and principles, which lead
People 10 doubt of their freedom, mult in their own nature,
be tar more precarious than that is. We might as well cail in
queltion the tt^llimony of any, or all of our fenfcs, as doubt the
Iru'h and certainty ot our experience in this cafe ; this confci-
oufnefs of our freedom, Imcan, whatever fpeculative difficulties
may lye in the way. We might as plaufibly, at lealt, que-
IHon the cxillence of an external, marcrial world; quellion
whether we rea/h fee, hear, finell, talle or feel, any thing ;
becaufc of the difficulties which occur refpedling the modus oi
that communication and intercourl'e, which there is be:wixt
bod-^ and mind : We might as plaufibly, at leart, fay, that tho'
thmgs /fern to be fo and fo ; yet they may not be re^/'j (o ; but
we be deluded by f.-.lfe appearances: Wc might, 1 fay, as
plaufibly talk thus, as call in quellion th,- rfa'ify of our free-
dom, b:icaufe wc cannot clearly fee bccc we can be free, con-
fillentjy with fomc fpr-culative opinions ; nor fully folve all
the difficulties ariling upon the fuppofition of our being fo.
1'\\Q/ormcr is not mjre certainly a matter of daily experience
to us, than the /fitter : We are confcious of, and feel, our
freedom zvithin us as truly and certainly as we fee or feel cor-
poreal objcds without us.
If men will not rell f^ti^fied with fuch experience ; but
wiM ilill doubt the truth of their own outward fenfes, and in-
ternal confcioufnefs ; faying, that iho' i\\m%^% fee m to be thus,
yet they may not be fo in reality ; there is no remedy — .
Thefe are the faculties which t!ie Author of our beings has
given us : Nor have we any other way of coming to the truth,
which is better than this, or even fo fure and infallible, if
the truth of thefe faculties, or the cfrtainty of the teftimony
which they bear, is called in queftion, we are, of courfe,
reduced to a total abfolute jcepticifm ; having no Data^ no
firil principles, on which to proceed in any cafe whatever ;
whether with reference to religion, or common life: We may
doubt of every thing, or believe any thing ; even tr/infubjian'
tiaUQn will be no longe^ an abfurdity, or incredible for the
good
298 Oj the Nature and Principle
is only tliis, that God does actually afTorci,
or is at leall ready to afford, his aid and
afljllancc
good o]A frouJlant-rruf'JTt, that k is acontrjidicllon to expert'
ever ^\\6 common J'fTiJe. For altho' all our (su(cs ft f% to coi*.-
tradift it ; yet it ma\ be rc?<»ly true —
Certainly thole rhi'gs, of which we have fuch ar imme-
diate corrcioufnefs, fuch an experimental knowledge, as is
here intended, and as wc actually have reipidlirg our own
fcedom ; ought not to be called in qoeftion, upon any pre-
tc:cc 'A' Jprcu/iilitT di{S.cm:]e$ * Which n>ull necefTarily, and
Ml iheir own nature, be more doubtful and precarious. Wc
are to look upon the former zi firji prinfipits^ ( as ihcy really
are ) from which if we once depart, we have abfolucely no
fooiirg ; no ground at a]} left to Hand upon ; but are plui ged
into a.' abyfs, orendlcfi labyrinth of doubts, from whence no
clue can ex'ricate us — And, indeed, wha* z parrJox is this ?
that m n (h(juld deny what they ^acknowledge feemty even to
themfelves, t be true from experience, on account of difficul-
ties mcxt\y j'pccuU^ive ! This is the cafe with relation to li-
berty : For ihefe men univcrfaily conf'jfs, that they Jeem to
themfelves to be free. — This is fuch a degree o^ jceptinjm ; it
is fuch ;//yfi7//)) to common-fenfe fuch a want of/;/V^ and
(ru/i therein, and to ihofe faculties which God has given us
for the more immediate, and th(; moil infallible, guide of life ;
that one would think it impufiible, were there not examples
of it ! Moreover,
The do^rine of liberty only, accords narurally to that com-
mon moral fenfe of things, o\ a&\ot\s ana characters, which all
mankind in all ages, in ail countries, have had, and h.ive : I
mean, their fenfe of ill defert, and its ci/ntrary, both in them-
felves and others. It is indeed the 1 oti ;n or lu-^pofiiion of li-
berty, (ever intim^le y prefcnt to the human mini% tho' fomc
pcrverfely difown it : it is I Uy, this idea of liberty ) which
partly conftitutes that moral fcutimcni. and internal feeling,
which is here intended. All men know what pecu.'iar lenti-
mcnt that is, which pofl'cnes the hum^ui mind, upon freing, or
only hearing of, fome remark.ble it.lUnce of rruelt>, injuUicc
Of perfidy. This fentiment (or,call it what you p.eafejis clofe*
\y connefted with the notion of liberty : Or r.nhcr, the former
cannot be, without the latter ; which is rcallv a coi.iliiuvnt
part of it. There is fomctimei indeed a momentaiy rtfentmcnC
and anger, refembling it, raifcd in our brenfts, even araiift
icanimaie.
ef Evangelical Ohedkjice. 299
afllftance to men, in fach manner and Serm.
fuch meafure, that they may, thereby, IX.
-work
inanimate, /«/7t??/V^ beings. Bur we foon check Tjch refentment
by refle<5ling, that thu at which we are angry, was intirely
paffi'-'e ; that it had no felf-maving, aflive principle ; but was
aftuated in r)me manner, as to itfclf, quite unavoidable. This
finglc rtflcdlion, .that the being, or thing, could not help,
could not avoid what has happened, immediately allays all re-
fentment ; tho' we may have received harm and damage there-
from. Which ftiowsjthat there is a c]ofe,an intimate connexi-
on, betwixt the ideas of hlame-worthitiefi and liberty ; fo that
the former c^innot be withouc the latter, as was hinted before.
Nor can a man calmly and cooly think any^aflion really culpa-
ble, or ium that did it, of ill-deiert, without prcfuppofing, that
he was a Uzz being: At leaft no man can think fo, 'till he has
viade hi rnjcl f hnot\\Qx kind of creature than God made him.
And nov/, fmce the great Author of our being has framed
our minds in fuch a manner, that we thus naturally conned
the idea of liberty, with that of demerit, or ill-defert ; fo that
it is a! moll, if hOt altogether impoffible, to have the latter of
them without the former ; we may fairly conclude, that He
Bimfelf cannot refent, or be angry with his creatures for, any
thing befides the abufe, or the negledt, of their own freedont
and aftive powers. Confeqaently, He neither does, nor will
punifli them, properly fpeaking, for the omifHon of that which
they had no power to perform, or the doing of that which they
could not forbear. We cannot be more certain that there is
really a righteous moral government ellabliflievi in the univerfe,
than we are of this ; We cannot even have the idea of fuch a
conftitution, without taking this fuppofition along with us, our
minds being moulded and fafhioned as they are. And whether
it becomes Us to attribute fuch a kind of proceeding to the Au-
thor and Lord of all, as we all nccefTarily CDndemn in each
other, under the names oicrueltyy injujiice, tyranny y i^c. (ffc. all
are left to judge ! —
BVT it is particularly to be obferved, that both the Jewijh
»nd the Ckriftian revelations, proceed wholly upon the fup-
pofition that mcT are free creatures. This point is never once
brought intoqueftion ; but is always taken for granted : And
upon this foun.^ation the whole fuperftrufture of precepts,
exhortations, promifes and threatnings, is apparently built :
Revelation, in this refpeft, exaftly coinciding with, and cor-
lefponding
300 Of the Nature a? id Principle
cut their own falvation ; fo that if
do not, it is owing to a criminal
neglect
rcfponding to, the na'ural fcntimcnLj, the common fctlings of
men's own brcafts and coi.kicncc?. So that- human 'ibcrcy is,
in fidl, the true bafis of the moral conlliiution ut ihin.s ; or
God's moral g"vernment a« dillinguifhed from his natural : It
is the bafis of till relif^iotij whether natural or icvealcd. And
from hence it follows, that any fvUem of principles wl ich
militates againft this dodrinc ; or which cannot t^e fupponed,
lut by the denial of it, mull n,'Cffi'arily Le Julje ; and (tho*
chrillcn'd by the ^cncral?le name of reiigiit) mult be a real
ionir.uiiciion to all religion.
EuT if it could he truly faicl, (as it cannot )that Chiiftianiiy
cither aflerts, or fuppofes, men not to be free creatures ; 'tis
plain, Chriilianity ought not to be credited. For we ate more
certain of this/;t7, that we are free, from ddily txperituce ;
than- we can be of the truth of Lhriftiani y, in the way of /«-
fer/ncc, dcdu8ion^ or rtajonivg ; Which reafoning all mani-
feftly depends on the truth of fome hijioricnl f.iBs, of which
we muft, in the nature of the thing, be Icfs certain than wc
are of the othtr. No revelation, therefore, can poffibly over-
throw the doctrine of human liberty : So far from this, that any
pretended one which contradi6\s it, ought to Ix accounted an
impejlure, for tliat very reafon. We could not rationally have
been believers in Chrill, without being firll believers in our
own fenfc5, had we been fped)ators of his miracles ; or, even
i!t\Q ju'jfiU of them, feeling in our iodic i, that we were heakii
by him : (Mark 5. 29. ^ Nor can any man fet Chrillianity at
variance with the experience and feeling, with the common
fenj'c and renhn of mankind ; or cxaltyi.;//^ to triumph in their
ruincs ; without being tirft more truly an P^nemy to tbem^ than
he is a Fiicnd to religion afterwards —
What good ends <^ hrillians can propofe to thcmfelvcs, e-
vcn in making it a quejiion, whether men have liiKrty or not f
(which, I'urely, is i;cvcr made one in the hily fcriptures ) I am
oiiable to conceive. But iheir Ji'tcmpting to ellab'ilh the nega-
tive, is ftill more furprifing ; Uhlcls they were fiire that they
were right. bc)oi d the poffibility of a miftake : For fhould they
happen to be wrong, they cann-.t well be infenfible of the fitaJ
mifchiefs which may naturally follow, if they could perfwadc
people to believe, that they can ehuje ,ind a^ no tthertvtje than
thf^ di \ thus furnifhipg them with a full and ample cxcufc for
all
of Evangelical Obedie?ice. 301
ncglccl of the power which tliey have, ^^RM,
notwithllaiiding the fuppoled depravity, ^X,
and '
all the impieties, and villanics, which they arc eichcr guilty of
at prcfent, or may have an inclination to commit ! And
how gravely foevcr men may talk, or write, while they are en-
deavouring to reconcile the dodlrine of neceflity with our daily
€X'periL*nce ,• with our natural notions of virtue and vice, merit
and demerit ; with a righteous moral government, and with
the religion of the Bible ; I mull confefs it appears to me, to
be no better than / rrW, J'nlemn trilling upon a fuhjcft, which
ought not to be trifled with ! In fhort, if any fpeculativc prin-
cip'e can be juftly faid to be contrary to the common fenfe, or
fcntiments, of mankind ; to he immoral ; to b« impious ; it
is thiiy of an univerfal neceflity : For it really terminates in
Athdjirit if purfued in its juft and natural confcquences.
It is, probably, a great while before men can bring them-
iclves heartily to acquiefcc in this opinion : Common reafon and
fenfe grearly relud at it. And if it ever fits quite eafy upon
peoples minds at laft, it is becaufe their minds are, ly fome
mentis or other^ corrupted and debauched. Some perfons,
doubtlefs, have recourfe to this doflrine, as a faho for their
vices ; and that they may find reft from z guilty confcience. For
this is a Ihort, tho' not a wife and fafe method, for men to rid
themfelves of the remonftrances and upbraidings ol that ofHci-
ous, troublefome companion : Tho' 1. would not, by any
means, fuggeft, that this is always the cafe.
Others feem to have embraced this dodrinc, merely be-
caufe they tho't it followed from fome philofophicalznd. anatomi-
cal principles, which they had laid down, and were not willing
to part with. Thus, particularly, a learned Phyfician and
Anatomift, who, not long fince, wrote in defence of it, tells
the world. That he had great reluftance at embracing it ; be-
caufe it feemed to him, at firft, to be inconfiftent with the na-
tural idea of vice and virtue, and the principles of religion ;
(in which he fecms to have been a ferious believer) However,
he fays, he found himfelf obliged to admit it, in confequence
of his hypothejis concerning the vibratory motion of the nerves ;
the medullary fubilancc ; the Jpinal marrow, &c. I
If fome other Gentlemen had, with equal plainnefs and
honefty, declared to the world their reafons for embracing this
doftrine of neceflity, it is probable they would have faid, " It
was becaufe they were rejolved, at ail adventures, to defend
their
302 Of the Nature and Pr'mcipk
Se'^m, and real imbecility of liuman nature.
IX. However incautious or extravagant any
may
tbtir (religious y (hall I call it r or irreligiuus F ) bypotbefts ;
%vhich they knew not how to defend well without it." How-
ever, Tbat jyjicm oflheology is, perhaps, as indefeniible with,
as without this dodlrinc : Since it is. hertby, weakeried and
pulled down ;/; jome refpeSIs, in the fame proportion that it is
ftrengthened and built up in ctbers. The dodnne of ncccfiity»
if true, would, indeed, afFurd a folution of fome of the difii-
culties rcfpc6ling fore-knowledge, predelinaiion.ar.d Thar me-
fbaaical convcrCwn : But if tbefe Gentlemen defign, in Ihir
fjftsm, to vindicate the moral Character o( God, and the equity
of his dealings ; particularly in configi.ing the zvickcd to endUfs
torments, rather than the holicj} man on earth, or cngfl \n
heaven ; if this, I lay, is really atis ptjri of their dcfign, they
«re fo far from receiving any help at all, in this rcfptdl,
( whTcin they needed fo much ) from the do<^rire 1 am
fpeaking of; that that which wss before their grand d:ff.cuhj^
is heightened, hereby, into an aljolute imfc£iti!:ty For
It is to no purpoic for thefc Gentlemen to tell us, That
vicious men are jujil) puniflied, becaufe they are not a£lu^tcd
by a foreign, external conllraint i but will, and chufc to fin,
and do it v.,luntarily : Which is the method in whicl f me of
ihem have iM.deavouied to vindicate the divine juftice in the
perdition of the wicked. This is equally cvafive and fuiile.
For what they call tvillir.g and chujlng to fin, and doing fo vc-
luntaril'jy is either that which the finncr might have avoided,
or that which he could not avoid : Let them chuje their alter-
native If they fay, this was avoidable ; then ihe dri^rinc ot
ncccflity is given up : If, unavoidable ; then the objection a-
gainlt pur.ifhing the finner for it, remains in its full ftrength :
For if the finncr ( it feems we tnuji /iu'l call him lo !) could rot
polTibly have avoided thus rvilling, ckufirtg^zvid a<5l;ng ; but way,
in every fuccelTivc moment of his cicillcrcc, c\cn from the Hrlt,
laid under a nccefhty (if doing juft as he did ; vvheilier thii
were owing to anv externcl conftraint, or to f.mt internal^ p-
riginrJ byafs, or impulfe of nature \ makes not the Icaft aliera-
don in the cafe, fo far as divine julHcc is concerned in it. He
is as blamelcfs <'n th- Utter luppofition, as he would be on the
former : And if it would be unri^ihteous to punifh him on one ;
it would bc.aiutlJy fo, to do it on the other— ^
B V i"
■QJ Evangelical Obedience, 303
may have been, in their rcprefentations of Serm,
our corruption ; our inabiiity to do good ; IX,
and,Gf the manner of God's operations up- ' ^ "
on the hearts of men ; yet it is the unde-
niable dodrine of the gofpel, that vicious
men cannot attain to true evangelical holi-
xx(ti\ merely by their own ftrength, or ex-
clufively of the divine affiflance. But ftill,
this affiftance being afforded to all, who
((tt themfelves to feek it, and to corred
their tempers and manners, as they may,
and ought to do ; it follows, that the per-
verfenels of men's will, not their impo-
tence, is the reafon why any fall fhort of
that internal purity, and external obedi-
ence, which is necefTary in order to their
inheriting eternal life : Nor can any one
doubt, but that this is the tmth, unlefs he
lirft doubts the veracity,or mifunderftands
the words, of Him who has faid — •" Every
" one that alketh, rcceiveth ; and he
" that
But what was intended at firft, only for a (hort marginal
note, is already become a very long one. I (hall, however, juft
add, that it is aftonifliing to fee (om^ /apparently fober, religiovis
men, fo follicitous to cftablifti Their doftrine of the divine de-
crees, of the uncontroulable fovereignty, and all-determining
providence of God, as to do It at the expence of his moral per ^
fcEiiom /—to fee them fo much more follicitous to prove. That
the Judge of all the earth does what He wiil ; than That
«* the Judge of all the earth will do right !'*— -If it i: im-
piety, even to ♦* fpeak wickedly FOR God" ; J how much
greater impiety is it,to *' fpeak wickedly AGAINST Him t"|
t T'^ 13- 7- 11 ^A'^ «39- '''<^'
lO.
304 Of the Nature and Principle
Serm. «• that Icckcth findcth ; and to him that
IX. *' knockcthitihallbcopcncd"— " If yc~
being c\ il, know liow to gi\ c good
gifts unto your children ; how much
more lliall your hca\ cnly Father give
the Holy Spirit to them tlvat alk himr" f
I luh II. Sqm p^^ by faith, wliich they call a prin-
ciple of obedience, leem e^ idently to in-
tend bclie\'ing, together with that repen-
tance ; that humble ':i\\(\ pious temper of
foul, which is the fruit of God's Ipirit, co-
operating w ith our lincere dclircs to obcv
and icrve him : /. e they mean internal
^oodnefs and holinefs, as well as faith.
And indeed the fcriptures frequently uie
the term faith in the lame latitude ; par-
ticularly, when we are laid to hQ jtiflified
thereby. And if we underlland it thus,
faith is indeed always, and in all who
have it, artually a principle of obedience;
I mcan,of d';c/^r;;^/ obedience; for this faith
is /{/^//obedience, confidered as a pracflical
principle in the heart : and therefore it
cannot, with any propriety, beoppofedto,
or contradiilinguilhed from, internal piety
and goodnefs ; or that divine nature, of
which wc are made partakers by the great
and precious promifes of the gofpel,accom-
panied with the divine blefling.
It fccms impollible, in the nature of the
thing, that any perlba who is poflefTed
of
of Evangelical Obedience. " 305
of this divine principle of faith, under- SER^f•
ftood in the complex fenfe here fpoken of, IX,
fliould not externally walk agreably to the
gofpel ; or that he jfhould continue to
work iniquity. For this would be to fup-
pofe, that a man might be wicked exter*
nally ; and yet be internally pious and
holy I Whereas our Saviour fays, with
reference to this very point, That
** Every good tree bringeth forth good
" fruit ; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth
** evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring
** forth evil fruit ; neither can a corrupt
** tree bring forth good fruit." * Faith, ^ ,
confidered in this large fenfe, feems to \j,it.
have a clofe and infeperable connex-
ion with chriftian obedience : In any
other fenfe of the term faith, it has no
fuch connexion therewith. And it
may be added, that no man can obey
the gofpel as a chriftian ought to do,
without having this divine principle in
his heart : If this is wanting, a man is in-
ternally wicked ; andfo not juftified ; nor
intitled to the glorious promifes of the
gofpel, whatever his external behaviour
may be.
I AM not much concerned, whether
that which is faid above, is moft agreable
to the fentiments of this, or the other de-
pominatiou pf Chriftians; being verily
X per^
3o6 Of the Nature and Principle
Serm. perfwaded, it is the truth as it is in Jefus-^
IX. Nor do I know how I can conclude this
difcourfe better, than by bciccching you
■^11, to fee that your faith is improved in-
to fuch a practical principle of hohncfs
and obedience in your hearts, as has been
now fpoken of. Without faith, in this
fenfe ; or unlefs people liave fuch a pious
truft and confidence in God, thro' Chrift;
fuch a perfwafion of his goodnefs and
liolinefs ; of the truth of his promifcs and
threatnings, that they are formed into the
divine image ; and internally refign them-
felves to the divine will ; their outward
behaviour, however irreproachable, can-
not be well-plealing in God's fight ; as
that of Chrilt's faithful fcrvants is. There
is a foith which is dead for want of
works : There may alfo be works which
lare dead, for w^ant of faith ; I mean for
Want of a truly pic^us and chriftian tem-
per at the bottom, in conjunc^lion with
what is more ufually termed laith. With-
out this, oiir external obedience is fcarce
better than mere formality, and empty
ceremony ; fince God lookcth at our
hearts. That is not a pure fountain, from
whence fuch obedience flows : Nor are
thofe who perform iL,truly made alive un-
to God, by Jefus Chrid ; They have not
yet in them Uiac 'well of living iv at cr spring-
ing
t)f Evangelical Obedience. 307
ing tip into everlajltng life, which our Sa- ^ERM.
viour fpeaks of ; intendmg hereby the IX.
fpirit /which they they that believe on him ^— 'v-'^
jhould receive. But " let him that is a-
thirfl,come ; and whosoever will, let
him take tlie water of life freely." f f Rev. 22.
i7«
% Z SERMON
3o8
SERMON X.
On the Extent of Evangelical
Obedience*
James I. 2r, 22.
L,A T apart all filthincfs and Jupcrftuitj of
naughttnejsy and receive with inecknejs the
ingrafted ivord^ which is able to fave your
fouls. But he ye doers of the ivord^ and
not hearers onlj, deceiving your vianfehes.
THE nature and principle of evan-
gelical obedience having been con-
fidered in the forgoing difcourfe ;
we are now to confidcr the extent of it ;
and to give a fhort defcription thereof, as
it is found in good men, who are the heirs
of falvation. This was the laft head of
difcourfe propofcd^ whcii we catered up-
on tliis lubjcd.
I
of Evangelical Obedience. 309
I HxivE, more efpecially, two reafons Serm.
for fpeaking of the extent of cHrilHan o- X.
bedicnce ; and giving a fhort delcription
of it, as it is adually found in the hearts
and lives of Chrifl's true difciples. One
is, that they who are 7'eaUy chriftians,
and not only nominally fuch, rnay have
the great and blefled fatisfadion of know-
ing that this charaftcr belongs to them ;
and fo may reafonably hope for the ^ner-
cj of God unto eternal life ; being fliH
excited by this very hope, to purify them-
felves yet more ; to make farther progrefs
in piety and virtue ; and to ferfe8 holi-^
fiefs in the fear of God . — -The other end"
which I have in view, is, that thofe who
are not truly doers of the zuord, may not
deceive their own felves ; that they may
not hope to be blefed in their deed ; but
may know wherein they fall fhort of
what is neceffary to conftitute the chrifti-
an charafter; and fo be excited to amend
their ways, 'till they come up thereto.
These two ends may, by the blefling
of God, be both attainedby laying before
you the chriftian rule of life and conduft,
(by which we are to be judged hereafter)
in order to your comparing your own.
tempers and manners therewith. Thofe
whofe hearts and manners corrcfpond to
this law of liberty, (allowing for fuch de-
X I viations
310 On the Extent of
viations as may properly come under the
head of human infirmities) may jiiftly
have confidence towards God ; and ajjtirc
their hearts before Him^ On the other
hand, thole wliofe own hearts condemn
them, as being prefumptuous,wilful tranf-
greflJbrs of this lazu of liberty, may be
equally Aire that they are not heirs to tlic
blefiings annexed to the obfervance, but
to the condemnation annexed to the vio-
latiojij of it. The gofpcl, as it is a rule of
life to us, and as we behold the glory and
perfections of God therein, is a fort of
fpiritual fountain, or intelledual mirrour ;
by lookjjng into w^hich, we may difcerrx
the true features and lineaments of our
fouls. In this it is, that the good man
may difcover the beauty oflwlinefs (the di-
vh)c image) in himfelf, as it were by re-
flexion from it : It will give him back, and
raakc him fee, his own likenefs ; his o^
tberfefx And, at the fame tim.e that it
fbcws him all that is truly beautiful and
aniiable in his inner man, it will alfo fhew
him, wheicin that ^\Vi needs polifliing and
adorning. By means of this, the wicked
niay , likewiie come to a fight of their,
moral deformity : For this glafs reprefents
uglin-fs and deform.ity in their juft and
proper colours, no lefs than it does beauty
aad comelincfs, in thof% : It \% not a de-
ceitful
Evangelical Obedience. 311;
c^itful owe, which will cither flatter the Skrm.
bad, or bely the good ; but it will truly X.
Ihew every pcrfon to himfclf, who, in- *— 'v-*-'.
(lead of taking a carelels fidc-ghnce at it,
looks full and direct upon it, with -olw open
and honeft face. Nor fliould either the
good or bad, having looked into it when
prefented before them, and beheld them-
felves therein, go their way and forget what
manner of men they are^ * But this is often * y^^.,
done by vicious men; who do not like i. ia^
to retain either God, or themi elves in
their knowledge and remembrance. They
are difgufted at the ugly image repreren-
ted to them, when they fee themfelves in
eontrade witli the purity and holinefs of
God, as exhibited to them in His word.
Far diiferent from Narclffus in the fable ^
who was loth to lofe fight of himfelf in
the chryftal ftream ; and fo would have
gazed forever \ They are generally for
lofing fight of themfelves as foon as poffi-
ble. Such a difagreable and loathfomc
object as a finful, polluted, guilty foul, fills
them with horror, inftead of delight ; and
they are uriealy 'till the very idea of it is
craied from their Minds, Good men, on
the other hand, receive a facred pleafure
by obferving the image and fuperfcriptioa
of God in their own hearts, while they
are contemplating His word ; tho* this is
'X 4 Sl
312 On the Extent of
a plcafurc attended with humiliation, and
a degree of grief, becaufe they approach
no nearer to the great Exemplar. How-
ever, by continuing to look into this facred
mirrour, they grow daily into an exader
conformity to the glorious, the divine Ori^
ginal : • — • They all, with open face^ beholding
as in a glafs the glory of the Lord, are changed
into the fame image, from glory to glory, even as
< t Cor. ^y ihefpiritoftheLord.\ — -But I wander too
J. i8. far from the particular defign of this dif-
courfe; which, you remember, was to con-
fider the extent of chriilian obedience.
And it is evident that this obedience
ought to be co-extended with the rule of
it* What is that ? The law of Chrill ; the
whole coUeflive body of chriftian ftatutes,
mjundions, and prohibitions : Sofpeakje
and fo do, as they that fall he judged hj the
• Jams Iciw of liberty.'^ It is manifeft that our obe-
«• '2. dience is not truly chriftian, unlefs w^e
pay a religious regard to the whole evan-
gelical law, however broad this command-
ment may be ; and how many points, or
dillin6l: precepts, foever, it may be diftri-
buted into. People may flatter them-
iclves as much as they pleafe, and ima-
gine it as eafy as they pleafe, to be truly
fiious and good. But one may be bold to
ay, that no man was ever altogether a
chriftian, w^ithout giving liis heart intire^
and
fa
Evangelical Obedience 313
and undivided, to God thro' Chrift ; fo Serm.
as to be internally diipofed to yield obe- X.
dience to all his known commandments.
There is no true principle of chriftian
piety and goodnefs in the heart, but what
is an univerfal one; not confined to this,or
the other precept and duty, but extended
to all of them in general. This will be e-
vident to any one, who attentively con-
liders what is implied in a principle of o-
bedience to God, and of fubmiflion to his
%pthority. For this is really a principle
uniform, and confident with itfelf, thro-
out. He that truly loves virtue, as being
'what it iSjloves it univerfally ; tho' a man
may in many cafes put on the appearance
of it, without really loving it at all. So
he that truly loves God, and reverences
his authority, as fuch, reverences it uni-
verfally, fo as to have a temper of mind
difpofed to fubmit, in all refpeds, to the
divine will, without referve or limita-
tion. In this refpeft, there is a wide
difference betwixt a due principle of obe-
dience to God's will, as difcovered to us
in the gofpel of his Son, and a principle
of obedience to any human authority,
whether civil or parental. No one but
God, has an abfolute, unlimited authority
over us. We may therefore (and indeed
ought to) have referves in our breails,
with
314 On the Extent of
with regard to all human authority ; not
being obliged, in realon, to}ield up our-
jclves intirely to the will and diCpolal of
men ; or to do whatfoever may, by them,
be injoined upon us. We arc bound to
reverence, and lubmit to, our natural pa-
rents, and the civil Powers, fo far as their
right of commanding extends: If we do
ib, it is fufficient. But if we have not -Jk
difpofition thus to fubmit to all their
rightful commands, we can neither have
the temper of dutiful children, nor of
lo3^al ibbjefts : /. e. we cannot have eitJicr
a true principle of filial obedience, or of
obedience to the Pov*'ers that are ordained'
of God, Apply this to the cafe in hand ;
to that obedience which we owe to God ;
and then the argument will ftand thus :
The authority of our Saviour, or that
authority of God, with which he is in-
velted, has no limitation, befides thofe
which God's own infinite wifdom, jullice
and goodncfs, fix and prefcribe to k .^
which is, in cfTert, to fay that it has none
at all- — There is ncrhing,which can in the
nature of thhigs, interfere with the autho-
rity of fuch a Being, fo as to limit it, to
fnpcrfcde it, or fet it afide : It is in its own
nature both /uprrme and urnvrrfaL Is it
not,then, evident that our obedience ought
to be without any referves, exceptions
or
or
Evangelical Obedience. 315
limitations ? and that God's holy will S^rm.
and commands, as made known to us m
the gofpel, are the only meafure and
ftandard of that obedience which is truly
chrillian? Is it not incongruous to imagine,
that we can really reverence the divine
authority, with reference to any of the
divine commandments, without doing fo,
as to all of them ? The fame princif^ of
love, reverence and fubmiflion, to God
and our Saviour, which is even neceflary
to conftitute a truly chrillian obedience
to any one commandment ; muft and
will run thro', and take place with re-
ference to the whole divine law ; to all
points and branches of it. It is, in the
very nature of it, an uniform, univcrfal
principle ; which regards the divine autho-
rity, as fuch ; and is therefore co-exten-
ded with the divine commandments : They
alone can limit and bound it, in thofe
perfons, in whom it really takes place.
My meaning is, that no man who fu-
premely loves and reverences God, and,
from this principle, lives conformably to
fome of his commandments ; can perfe-
verefrom time to time in known, wilful
difobedicnce to others of them ; or even
to one only. It is a contradiftion. Wc
may therefore be as certain, as we can of
any thing, that he who has not a difpofi-
tion
3 1 6 On the Ex lent of
Sfrm. tion to obey the gofpcl univerfaily, ha»
X. jiot a truly pious Jifpofition to obey it at
all ; /, e. that iie has no principle of obe-
dience which comes up to die evangeli-
cal ftandard. Knowingly and habitually
trangrefling any one commandment, is a
demonltration that a man obeys no others
in the manner which he ought to do. He
has i^t cut off that right hand ; he has not
plucRd out thai right eye which offends.
Either mammon^ or fome other worldly ob-
jeft has the pofleflion of, and the do-
minion over his heart ; and ftill feparates.
it from God. There is fomewhat, in this
cafe, which has the preheminence, and
fupremacy in a man's heart : It is plain
that God has it not : If He had, a man
could not thus prefumptouHy tranfgrefs
one of his commands from time to time,
for the fake of ferving another mafler :
And his fervant he is^ to ivhorn he obeys. He
is not truly the fervant of God and righte-
oufnefs : he does not truly, and in the
manner he ought to do, obey any of
God's laws ; which cannot be done,
without a fuprcme love to him, and a re-
verence of his authority as fuch. So that
known habitual fmning,in any cafe what-
ever, is a proof, that a man is, in fome'
fort, guilty Avith reference to all the com-
mandments ; ;ho' he may feem to keep;
tlaem
Evangelical Obedience. 317
them all, with one fingle exception. Serm.
Tk I s is not fo much my own reafoning, X.
as it is St. James's ; for I muft now confefs
to you, that I borrowed it all from hi?n.
You have itcomprifed in theiothand i ith
verfes of the 2d chapter of his epiftle —
" Whofoever (hall keep the whole law,
** and yet offend in one point, he is guil-
" ty of all. For he that faid, do not^om-
*' mit adultery, faid alfo, do not^ill :
" Now if thou commit no adultery ; yet
" if thou kill, thou art become a tranf-
" greflbr of the [ whole ] law. " The
meaning is not, that one offence com-
prifes all other offences in it, or makes
a man a tranfgreffor of the whole law,
becaufe tliis is offending againft that one
fupreme authority, which binds all the
commandments upon us : This is, I thinks
a forced, unnatural conftruftion ; and
very remote from the true fpirit, and fenfe
of the paffage. The apoftle afferts no
fuch thing : But what he intends is, that
offending in one point, tho* it does not of
itfelf ?nake a man guilty of all, yet it
proves him to be fo, and he certainly is
fo, in fome degree, tho* he ms^yjcem to
keep the whole law, excepting in tliat
one point. And the argument to prove
this [ver. 11,] is conclufive, ifunderftood
thus— -That; Ggd who has forbid one
crime;.
3 1 8 On the Extent of
crime, has forbid all others : Therefore,
if you truly reverence his authority, you
will obey all his commandments : And
tho' you may pretend to obey many of
them, and appear both to yourfelves and
others to do ib ; yet if you habitually and
prefumptuoufly difobey any one of them,
it is certain you do not obey any of them,
as you ought to do ; and, therefore, mull
be Jhore or lefs guilty with refpeft to all
pomts of chrirtian duty. This feems to
be plain and intelligible : But if the ar-
gument needs further illuftration, it will
receive, from the laft verfe but one in
the preceeding chapter — ■" If any man a-
" mong you feem to be religious, and
" bridleth not his tongue^ but deceiveth
" his own heart, this man's religion is
" vain." The obvious meaning of which
is, that how religious foever any man
m^Lj feem to be ; yet if his tongue is not
under any reflraint ; if he oilends in that
one point ; he is deceiVed in himfelf ; all
his religion is fcarce better thany7;nt', and
vain formality : He has no real principle
of piety or goodnefs in him ; and there-
fore mufl be guilty, in a degree, with re-
ference to all points, even thofe wherein
^e may feem to keep the law. There is
nothing forced in tliis conftrudion. And
may not what the apoltlefays concerning
that
Evangelical Obedience. 319
that one point, of not bridling the tongue, Serm.
be appUed to ail other vicious, immoral X.
practices ? May it not be faid, with equal '
certainty, that if any man among wsfeem
to be religious ; and yet is a Thief, a
Drunkard^ a Liar, an Extortioner, or
Adulterer, &c. this man's religion is alfo
•vain ? that he has not the fear of God
before his eyes, nor the love of God, and
of his Saviour in his heart ? th^t he is no
true difciple of Jefus Chrift ; but that all
his religion is mere formality and fhew \
that tho' he may, to outward appearance,
keep the whole law, one point of it ex-
cepted ; yet he really obferves none of
the commandments, from a principle of
love and reverence to God and his Re-
deemer ? that he is, therefore, really
guilty, in a degree, with reference to all
points even of the law of liberty ? and
that he muft therefore be condemned as a ^
tranfgreflbr of this whole law ? ^ — . This
feems to be evidently true ; and it is, I
think, the plain doftrine of St. 'James, f
Many
\ I HAVE in part, tho' not wholly, followed the commoa
interpretation of Jamef z. lo, ii. Which interpretation
I find, fince the writing of this Sermon, is rejc(^cd by the
learned Dr. Smerlock, the prefent Bifhop of London,
in a iJifcourfe lately publifhed on Matthew Z2, 4. His
LordOiip tells us, that that interpretation *' amounts to
" this : All laws are faunded upon one and the fame authori-
« iy of God i therefore cvcrj efieitce againil any law, is a
•♦ comemjpl
3^0 On the Extent of
Serm. Many cannot reconcile themfelves to
X. this dodrine, That a man muft have re-
fpeft
*' contempt of the authcriry upon which all laws depend ; and
•* therefore every ^tX of difobedience. is a breach cf the whole
•♦ Jaw." *' To ihofe who have plain fcnfe, and can ft'l-
•' low it, he fays, thie muft appear abfurd :" And that '• the
•' true and natural interpretation," is to be coliedlcd from the
new-icUament '* Notion of love, as being the fulnefs of the
•* law, and of all the commandments bfing comprehended in
•* this faying, ^houjhalt love tky neighiour cs thy fel/."' And
when the Apollic fays, that K'koJ'oiver offends in cne point, is
gvi/ty of fill \ his Lordfhip tells us, that " in this \tx^.z^ he con-
*' fiders the royal law, ^bou Jball love tky neigkbour^ Sec. as the
•• whole law."
His Lordfhip judges, that the common interpretation is
•• evidently liable to all the difficulties of the ^/«V'8 paradox
*' that ai] offences are equal" — So that ** there will be no dif-
*' ference between killing your neighbour and your neighbour'!
*' hcrfe ; for he that has forbid you killing your neighbour, hai
*' likewife forbid you doing any adl to the hurt and dctri-
** ment of your neighbour. "
His Lordfhip fays farther, that *' theapoftle's inference ia
** the latter part of the vctCc [ i. e. ver. 1 1. ] does not anfwer
** to the principle laid down in the former," in the common
method of interpretation. '• He that /aid do not commit ahuhetj^
•• Jaid iil/o do net kill. This is his principle : And he infers,
•* New if thou (ommit no adultery, yet if thou kill, tbou art be-
** come a trnn/^rejjor of the Uvj But what is this toward*
" fhowing that the breach of one law, is the breach of all ?'*
His Lordfhip thinks, that the tranflators have ** mifled
*' people in the underftanding of this whole pafTage." For fayt
he, •' Inflead o^ for he that /aid, it fhould be rendered /pr /^/
" laxvtvhichfid'" &cc. And *' the place thus rendered containt
«* a clear reafon of what went before. If. fays he, [i. e. the
** Apoflle] you offend in any point of charity or duty, you
f* become a tranfgrcfTor of this whole law, Thou Jbalt love thy
** neighbour as thy f elf " The Bifliop judges, that this in-
terpretation is evidently favoured by the whole preceeding
context, wherein the apoftle is treating of the r<5w//*» of
charity, tnd of relative duties. — And ' • This place in St.
•* James, favs he, being thus underftood and explained, there
" II no occafion for any nicctici or diiUnftiou*," Ac.
Evangelical Obedience. 321
fpefttd all the commandments, iii order Serm»
to his efcaping condemnation,and inherit- ^
Y ing'-^
This is the fam of his Lordfhip's reaforting upon the point.
But ( with all the deference that is due to an author to whom
the world is fo much indebted for his excellent difcoiirfcs on
fome pradlical fubjefls, as well as thofe in defence of Chriftia-
nity,) the old interpretation of St. James^ feems to be as un-
exceptionable as the ncvv ; even after his Lordfliip has endea-
voured to explode the one, and to eftablifh the other.
His Lordfliip's interpretation feerhs as " evidently liable
" to all the difficulties of the Stoic\ paradox, " as the old one.
For if he who, in any one inftance^ injures his neighbour, is
a tranfgrcflbr of the whole law of charity i ( which contains in
it all the fecial duties, and forbids every kind of injury) may
it not ftill be objefted, that this is to make all offences againft
our neighbour equal ? Who, it may be afked, can do more or
worfC) than to break this whole law of love ? For to break the
ivhoUy is to break it in all its pdrts, or in all points. But yet
this is what every man does, according to his Lordlhip, who
trefpafles in any one particular point : For thus he interprets
the Apoftle, *' If you offend in any point of charity or duty,
** you become a tranfgreffor of this whole law, Thou Jh alt love^"*
&c. How can the whole of a general law, which contains in-
numerable particulars, be broken by violating it in ok e point
only ! And if, according fo the old interpretation,, [viz. that
he who offends in one point is guilty of all^ becaufe he violates
that one Authority, upon which all laws depend ) all crimes
are equal, as his Lordfiiip fays they are ; One would think,
that even according to his own, all oJfFenccs againft our neigh-
bour muft alfo be equal ; fince any one is a breach of the
whole law of charity. So that it feems to be as true,according
to his^ as it is according to the other interpretation, that there is
" no difference between killing your neighbour and youip
" neighbour's horfe" : For that law of charity which fays,
^Thoujhalt not kill thy neighbour, fays a1fo, Thou Jh alt not kill
thy neighbour'' s horfe : And the whole of^this law, his Lordfhip
tells us, is aftually broken by him, who " offends in any
** one point of charity or duty." — But if any think the Stoic's
paradox may be avoided here, by faying, that tho* any parti-
cular offence againft our neighbour is a breach upon the whole
law of charity ; yet the nature and circuraftances of fome of-
feftecs may render ihcm jncr« criminal than othcri : Why
tnay
2^2 On the Extent of
ing eternal life. Mmy a perfon doiibtlefs
reafons thus wkh himlelf— ." What harfli,
rigorous
may not the Cime paradox Vjc ilfo tvciied, in the o'd way, by
faying, that tho"' every tranfgrefTion if, in a for:, the violation
of all Gobi's law in gereral, as it is a violation of that one ge-
neral authority, on which all laws depend ; yet the nature and
circumllances of fome fin? againft this one great authority,
"may render them more heinous than others ? " To feme men
*> who have plain fcnfc, and can follow it," there will, per-
haps, appear no more abfurdity in this latter method of folving
the difficulty, fo far as it relates to the Jioical paradox, than
there will appear in the former.
And tho' his Lordfliipis pleafed to fay, that " the tpoftle's
*' inference in the latter part of the [iith] verfe, does not
•* anfwer to the principle laid down in the former," in the old
way of interpretation ; I mull beg leave to think it arfwers m
well thereto, in this, as in his Lordftiip's interpretation : Tho'
One would not dilTent from fuch an acknowledged mafter of
reafon and critical learning, but with caution and diffiience.
This 1 ilh verfc evidently contains the grounds of the affertio n
in the preceeding verfe, I'/z, Thnt wb'>foever (Jfends in one point
is guilty of all [paints.] And confidered in this light, ihc
meaning of the inference, Thou art become a tranfg'-ej[for of the
taw, mull be this, Thou art a tranfgrefibr of the mhule law, {o
IS to make thee ^^^///j of all ; as it is exprefTcd ver, lo. Thi$
1j the defign of the argument, both in his Lordfliip's method
"of interpretation, and in the other ; it is common to thera :
O.ily his Lordfhip confines the words, guilty of ail, to the
great law of charity ; the perfon fpohcn of, is guilty of break-
ing that tvhole law, tho' not of all laws in general And i-
greably hereto, his Lcrdffiip. by a tranf^reffor of the law, ver.
II. underftands " a trsnfgrefror of this whole law, 7h u Jhah
" /tffv," Arc. So that in both methods of interpretation, the
inference in the latter part of ver. 1 1, muft anfwer, not only to
the principle laid down in the former part ; but alfa correfpond
to the Propofirion to be proved, r/z, that he who offends in
we p')int is guilty cA all (points.) And the qneltion is, Howr
this inference anfwers better, either to the principle in the for-
mer part of the verfe. (which is the mrdium to prove the pro-
pofition,)or to the propofition itfclf, upon his Lordfhip's hypo-
thefii, than upon the old. UfXJn the old one the argument
flandi thus. The one great Lawgiver, on whofc authority all
laws
Evangelical Obedience. 323
rigorous do<Srine is this, under the^^^-SfiRM,
doyts ' difpenfation of the gofpel ! MiSl I X.
Y 2 forfake '
Jaws depend ; and who has faid, Do not commit adultery,
has faid alfo do not kill : Therefore, if thou doft not commit
adulcery, but yet killeft, thou art a tranfgreflbr of his whole
law ; fo that thou zxi guilty of all[po\x\is] thercaf j /. e. as thou
violatell that one authority which extends equally to all points.
If the inference does not anfwer to the principle, ( or medium )
or to the propofition to be proved, in this way : Let us fee,
whether it anfwers to either of them any better, in his Lord*
Jhip's. Upon his hypothefis, the thing to be proved is, That
whofoever offends agninfi hi: neighbour in one point, breaks
l\i^ whole law of charity ; or is guilty of all [points of that
royal law.] The principle or medium of proof (in his
Lordftiip's tranflation) is this — '* Tor tlie law tuhich faidy'*
&c. And the argument, I humbly conceive, mull iland
ehus— The fame royal law which *' has forbid you killing
•• your neighbour, has likewifc forbid you doing any aft to
" the hurt and detriment of your neighbour" : Therefore if
thou doll not kill thy neighbour ; but yet injured him in any
9ne refpedi, thou art become a tranfgreflbr of this zuhole law g£
charity ; fo that thou art guilt"^ of all [points] thereof; /. y.
as thou violatell that one royal law, which extends equally to
all points of focial duty and benevolence. This is evidently
the true Hate of the argument, upon his Lordlhip's hypothefis \
but 1 muft confefs I am not able to fee, that the inference an-
fwers any better, either to the principle, (or the medium of
proof) or to the propofition to be proved, in this method of
interpretation, than it does in the old. If it does not follow,
that becaufe all laws depend upon one and the fame authority
of God, therefore he who tranfgrefTeth one law, is a tranfgref-
for of the whole law, or guilty of all [points ;] it feems not to
follow, that becaufe all particular focial duties are com pre*
hended in one and the fame law of charity, therefore he who
tranfgrefTeth one branch of that law, is a tranfgrelTor of the
whole of k, or is guilty of all [points] thereof. There feem»
to be as much " occafion for niceties and diflindlions" in one
cafe, as there is in the other.
His Lordfhip judges, that his tranflation " Tor the Idttt
which faid^^ inllead of — ¥or he that faid y removej the difficul-
ty which there is, otherwife, in this paffige. Hcwever he
candidly allows, that " Uie words in the original are of doubt-
•Mttl
324 On the Extent of
SER\f. forfake every known fin ? or clfe lofe my
X. ^ foul at lall ! Tho' I difregatd one of the
com-
*' ful interpretation;" as thcv cei-tainly ^e. And fi nee the
term l:7tv, V. not in the original ; and ihc Gruh p;»rticip!c may
be as well referred to th^t Onr Lr.tvj^iver, exftcfly mentioned
by 9t. Jafn^i in this epilllc, as to the law i(fcif, v,hcther the
toyd lam, or the law in its utmoft extent and latitude ; there
fccms to be no real necefTiTv for departing from the common
franflation. Bur admi'ting hi-Lord(h'p's trarflation to be pre-
ferable, it \i not eafy to fee. how this helps the matter in any
degree. For what is the !a v ? or what can it fay, cor.fi::crca
irtdcpcndently of the will and authority of (he One I.atc giver ?
Thus abftraftly confidercd, ir lays us under no obligation : nor
dan it be broken in a moral of religious fcnfe. It is only ink
tnd p<ipfr, if written ; only J'ounJy if articulately proncur.ced ;
— cvfen tho' pronounced in 'fhundtr^ as at Sifidi. So that the*
the true critical rerdering were, *' Fcr the Inw zchich faidy"*
Sec as his Lordfliip judges it is ; yet we are obliged to recuf
to the will and authority of the Law giver ; and to corfider
Him as fpcaking to us in and by the law. The law, ilridlly
fpeaking, is'only the will of the Legifliior, in fome way or 0-
iher tnade known to, us : And this equally, whether the royal
kw of chirity only, be intended by St. James, or the zvhilt
law of God in general. So thsit thV his Lordfhip's tranflation
were received ; yet this would not, I humbly conceive, in
any degree, tend to eftab'ini his fenfe of the apoft'e's do£lrine,
or to overthrow the common. This ft cms to be no more than
a rrrW criticifm ; which cannot, in the prefent cafe, ( tho' it
might in m^ny others ) make the leall alteration in the fcnfe
tncf true defi'n of the writer : Settle ^\\\^ poi-it how you will,
eith'ir one way or the other ; yet the refult will be exa(flly the •
fame at lad.
It maft be added, (becaufe his T.ordfhip lays ftrcfs upon it )
that thV St. James is certainlv fpeaking, in the prccecding
context, more dire6^Iy concerning the great hw of charily and
the focial duties ; yet this docs not fccm to he a fufficicni ground
for underflmding him in the loth and i 'th v rics, *«s fpeak-
ing of that royal law, and of thcfc duties, cx'i'ufive-y of others.
The reafoning here, may be natiirallv extended to all other laws,
bH other branches of duty ; and flill be is go"d and conclufive,
as if it were rd^rained to the law and duties of charity. And
there i5, perhapj,as ud/ « con!:cxioa bctwixc «U chrilliAn vir-
tuct
Evangelical Ohedience* 325
commandments; yet certainly my rdigi-^SRM.
QUs obfervation of all the reji, v/ill turn X.
Y 3
tues In general, fo that fhey may be refoJved into cfie, viZ'
that of Jilial love avd revcrencs to the One great ^nd good Lew-
giver ; as there is a connexion l>ecw?xt all the y*^;^/ virtues, To
that they may be refolved into that one, of ioving our leigbtour
as fiurf elves.' — ^~
Upon the whole ; <vhatever of difficulty, or paradox, there
is in this pafTage, in the old-method of interpretation, it fecnw-
evidently to remain, in his Lorafliip's. For it is particularly
to be obfervcd, (tho* his Lordfhip has not mentioned it) That-
when a man who tranfgrcficth in one point, is faid to be guilty-
of all ; the word all is plu7-iil in the original ; and fo cannot
naturally be refered to any c»e general law. It is ufed in op-
pofition to the cne point, or cne rejpeHy in the prcceeding
claufe : And the obvious conftrudion is, that whofoever of-
fends thus in A/zf point, 15 ( in fome fetife or other ) guilty in <7//
points. The grand difficutty really lies here : And thi*. I
humbly conceive, is not, in any meafure, lefiened by his
Lordfhip 's obfcrvations. I'or tho' you admit his propofed
emendation in the verlion ; tho' you admit all which he fays
upon the context ; tho' you allow, that St. James is fpeakirig
only of that royal law of chari^ ; ( which extends to all pointt ■
of focial duty, and prohibits all kinds of injury to your neigh- •
hour) iho' you concced all this. Hill the quefiion returns,'
Why, or in what fenfi^ he who offends \x\ one point of this '
great ro'^al lav.\ mull needs be a trangrefTor of the v^hdle of thit ~
law ? or quality as to/?// points thereof? This remains as
njuch a diificuky, upon the iuppofition that the great law of'
charity only, is here treated of ; as it is upon the old fuppofi- !
tion, that the apoflle is fpeaking of God's law in general,'
All God's laws may be confiJered as one general law, confilt-
ing of various points, or branches ; as well as all the particu-
lar.laws of jullice and charity, maybe reduced to that one,
royal law, 'fbou Jb alt love ^ &c. Nor has the apoftle's rcafon-
ing, ver. 1 1. -anv more obvious a tendency to prove, (on his
Lordfhip's fuppjfition) that he who offends- in one point of the
general law of love, is a tranfgreffor of the whole of that law,
or guilty of 4// ; than it has to prove, (on the other fuppoil-
tion) that he who offends in ove point of God's general, uni-
verfal law, is a tranfgrcfTor of the whole of that law, or guilty
♦f<?//. The rcafgning, I hgmbly conceive, receives no ad-
•litiontl
On the Extent of
Serm. the ballance in my favour. A merciful
X. God will not caft me off forever, for in-*
dulging
ditional clearaefs, weight or cogency, by fuch a change of the
fuppofiiion. For there is lliil a general law, corfiiling cf in-
numerable pirti^ or branches, the tobJe of which, it is laid, is
broken, by him that ofFends in one point of it. And whether
it were The low, which faid, or the Laicgiver^ which faid,
Tbtu Jhalt not^ Sec. this makes not, fo far as I am able to fee,
the lead aheration in the cafe.
That which makes this paffagc appear fo paradoxical as it
does to many, is a palpable milUkc of St Jamci't fcnfe ; in
fuppofing him to afi'crt fomething which he does not ; viz..
that offending in ovc point, or as to one particular law, is
what makts, renders, or conjliiutes a man guilty with reference
to all others ; or •' that an offence againft one law, is a breach
*' of all law?, however different they are in kind or degree/'
This would, indeed, be rather a contradiction ihan a paradox ;
and equally io^ whether faid only with reference to the vari-
ous points of the royrtl lata of love ; or to the various branches
of God's law in general. Bi^t the apollle afferts no fuch thing
as either. He afferts only, that the man who thus offends in
cne point is [really] guilty of all ; and that he is a tranfgrcffor
of the [whok] law : Which is quire a different thing from
faying, that in that very aS^ by which a man offends againft
one precept, he offends againft all tl.c icll. Let us therefore
keep to the very words of the ajx)ftle — •' He is guilty of ail."
But how ? in what fenfe guilty f Certainly he does not exter-
nally difobcy all the laws of God : For the fame man is fup-
pofeil, in the former part of the verfe, lo keep the nbole law,
[outwardly] with one fmgle exception — Now look to the 26th
vcr. of the prececdirg chapter ; and there you will find a furc
and eafy clue to the apoftle's meaning : If tiny man limong yau
fcem to he religious, and bridlctb not his ter.gue^ that mms reli-
gion is rain. Offending in that one point, or giving a wicked
licence to the tongue, is a proof that all a man's religion is
vain ; however religious he vt\z\ feen to himfclf cr others to
be : Yea tho' he /ten to keep the tvboie law in other refpcfta,
he deccivetb bn own beart j and is gudty with reference to all
the commandments : For fmce fuch a man does not truly and
piouily obfcrvc any of the commandments ; but his religion if
ail vatn ; certainly he is guilty in all points ; or with relation
to all Uie commaadioents. For there is reaUy no medium be-
t\v;x:
Evangelical Obedience. 327
dulging onekift only, when I fo lincerely Serm.
ferve him in the general colirlc of my life. X.
" Y 4 That
twixt truly and pioujiy keeping the commandments, and renlly
breaking them. Such a man is, therefore, guilty of ail ; a
tranfgrefibr of the whole Itsv. Tho' he does not iranfgrers llie
whole, BY offending in one point j { which it were abfurd to
fuppofe) yet his thus oftcnding in one point, is a proof and c-
videhce of his being wicked and hypocritical at the bottom.
And an evil and wicked heart is more properly a contradidion
to, and a tranfgrejji'jn of, all God's commandments ; than any
external conformity thereto, without a pious, good heart, is
obedience to them.
For the farther illuftration of this paflagc, it is to be obferv-
cd. That, upon the fooiing of ot^t^ law, any fingle deviation,
tho' but for a moment, and in the leafl point, would render a
man a tranfgreflbr of that zobole convenant of works ; or of
that whole law. The whole law in this cafe would be, in fuch
a fenfe one ; [one covenant ;] that it muft be cither wholly kept,
or wholly violated, by every pcrfcn undej it. There could be
no medium here. Such a um!") is of the very nature and effence
of a difpenfation merely legal. But the apoHle is here fpeak-
ing to Chriftians, upon chriilian principles ; the principles of
evangelical grace. And tho' he ules the terms law^ in the lor.h
and 1 1 th verfes ; yet he means the chriilian law, as contradif-
tinguifhed from the Mo/aic covenant of works : This he calls
the lazo 0/ liberty, ver. 12. And there is really fuch an unity
even in this covenant of grace alfo, that it mull be either
wholly kept, or wholly broken, by each man that is under it.
This appears from the condition of it, on our part : Which is
faith, in that comprehenfive fenfe in which the word is oftea
ufed in fcripture ; /. e. as including uprightnefs of heart to-
wards God ; which every man is either poiTeffed of, or not.
So that every man either tvholly keeps, or zvholly breaks thi«
covenant of grace. This uprightnefs, or fincerity towards
God, is oppofed to peffe6lion on one hand ; and both to r/-
jined hypocrify^ and io prefumptuous finning, on the other. It is
the medium betwixt them. No fincere chriilian is perfeft ; na
one is an habitual tranfgreffor in any one point. The former
is incompatible to the prefent imperfefl ftate of mankind ; the
latter is inconGftent with fincerity towards God j or with
faith, in that fenfe of the term before alluded to. And thefc
ihiogs being confidered, the fenfe of ihis paflage will> I con-
€«ivc,
328 On the Extent of
Serm. That compaffionate Redeemer who loved
X. rnen fo well as to die for them, can-
not, furely, be ib fevcre to mark ini-
quity againft nie. ^lo : If I uprightly
and
ccivc, be intelligibly cxprcfTed ; and ibc rcafoning of the a-
poftle fct in a true and convincing li^hr, in the fwllowing
^amphrrje of the icth and i rth veifes, £. d. Wliofocvcr Ihajl
exurnallj obfervc the whole gofpcl rule of life, excepting in
one point, wherein he knowingly and prefumptuoufly offends ;
iho' \\c vmy feem to be religious, yet that man is certainly de-
fticutc of fincere piety to God ; his religion is vais ; he decei-
ffffb his own Heart. This is an evidence that he obeys time
of ihe commandments in a truly ch'iftian manner ; and there-
fore, that he is guilty with rci'pcdt to a// of them in general
For remember, that the fame great Lawgiver, who forbids
murder, forbids adultery alfo ; and His commands, ^ou
tnow, are equally obligatory in all cafes : So that whofoever
truly knows and loves Him, and fincerely reverences his au-
thority, will have no refervcs, but pay a facrcd regard to all
his coinmandments. And therefore, iho' you fhould not
ai^ually commit adultery, in the common jpr;?/; fenfe ; yet if
you commit murder,or live in the practice of any other known
fin ; ihi^ proves you to be fuch contemrcrs of God and his
authority, as cannot be fuppofed tiuly, and in a chriftian
manner, to obferve any of his laws, howcve- you may flatter
jourfclves. And if ycu do not property obferve anv of them ;
you muft, of confequcnce, be adjudged tranfgrcfTors of the
whvU chrirtian law ; and guilty, in a greater cr h(s degree,
with reference to all points of your duty in general. Sincerity
anJ piety towards God, being wanting, you are nothing ; and
are cut ofF from all reafonable hopes of falvarion, even tho*
you are under the merciful covenant of the gofpel.
I HAVE bten the longer in endeavjurirg to ihow the true
fenfe of this paflage, and wherein the force of St. James't rca-
ibring lies j becaufe I conceive this to be a point of real im-
portance. Tho' I fhould fcarcc have faid any thing upon it,
m the way of cri'jii/n:, but as 4n Apology for myfclf ; for
pot embracing Bifbop Shrhd's new interpretation ; Whofc
[j'llllv ] great name and character fccmcd to demand this ; and
whofc writings are (0 much cHcemcd amongll us ; — tho\ by
none more th>n by hioii who ha^ (hut prcfuioed to diifei^
from his Lordihip.
Evangelical Obedience. jg^
^--i
ancj confcieiuionfly obey all his known Sep m.
precepts, orie only excepted ; he will ^i-
liirely accept this obedience ; and over-
look this one tranlgreiTion, on the Icore
of human weaknels, " O thou
Hypocrite ! Doit thou talk of thy lincere,
reUgious, and conlciehtious obedience to
Chrift's commandments, whihl thouac-
knowledgeil:, there is one of his com-
mandments which thou difregardcfl: ! I
tell thee, in the name of the living God !
that thou doft not truly 2Li\d properly obey
any one precept of the gofpel,while there
is any one which thou prefumptuoufly
violateft from day to day. Thou decei-
veft thine own heart : Thou art a tranf-
grefTor of the whole law,and guilty of all,
rather than a true and confcientious ob-
ferver of the law, in any one refpecl. If
thou hadft a real principle of love and du-
ty toChrift in thy heart, thou wouldeft re-
gard all his known commandments ; and
not think any of them grievous : Thou
wouldeft not think of compounding with
thyCreditor and graciousBenefadtor thus ;
but be defirous, as far as pofTible, to pay
thy whole debt to him. — Thou canftnot
ferve two Mafters : Thou canft not be
half loyal to thy King and Redeemer, and
half rebel : Thou art all rebel, 'till thou
intirely fubmitteft -thy will to His, and
makeft
330 On the Extent of
Serm. makefl that a univerfal rule to thee to
X. walk by ; — 'till thou renounceft that be-
loved lull, which caufes thee thus to
tranigrcfs in one reiped. However thou
mayelt flatter thy felf, this fin which fo
ealily belets thee, is the lord which has
dominion over thee ; and thou art the
Jervant of fin unto death —
But let us fuppofc, for the prefcnt,
that the terms offalvation w^erc lels rigo-
rous : Let us fuppofe that the gofpel had
alTurcd us, that provided \iNe heartily
and iincerely obey all the divine com-
mandments excepting one^ we fhall
be faved. Tho' the very fuppofition of
our heartily and confcientiouUy. obeying
fomc of the commandments, while we fet
any one of them at nought, is abfolutely
abfurd, and felf-contradidory ; yet I will
take the poflibility of it for granted ; and
fee what fuch a gracious diipenfation for
breaking one commandment will come to
— ►what the conlcqucnce w^ill be. — - God
being thus condefcending, it muft be pre-
fumcd that it is left to every particular
man to chufe what particular command-
ment he will ftrike out of the decalogue ;
Which will be that^ certainly, to the ob-
fervance of wliich, he is the moft averfe ;
that w^hich the moil thwarts his own par-
ticular turn and temper and inclination.
For
Evangelical Obedience. 331
For example, one man has aflrongandpe- Skrm.
culiar diipolition to iXvc ai ing and blafph-j- X.
my ; to the taking of God's name in vain :
before A/;/7, the /^/;/W commandment, cer-
tainly, falls a facriricc. Another is pecu-
liarly addicted to cozening and Itealii^.g :
He ftrikcs out the command which for-
bids this. Another has a peculiar difpo-
fition to bely, and flander his neighbours:
He will be at no lofs what command-
ment is moft grievous to him. Another
has a particular pique againft \hefeimith
commandment ; becaufe he cannot en-
dure to be under fuch a reflraint, with
refpeft to his neighbours wives and
daughters, as that lays him under. Ano-
ther is very cholerick ; and could often
tafte the fvveets of bloody revenge, were
it not faid, T^hou jhalt not kill-. With Him^
the fixth commandment will find no quar-
ter : And fo on — Every man wall make
a facrifice of that commandment ; of
that particular precept or prohibition,
which ftands moft in the way of his gra-
tifying his favourite, mafter-paffion ; of
that which would keep him from his owft
iniquity ; from the /in that doth fi eaftly
hefet him. Well ; God is fo gracious as
to difpenfe with the obfervation of one of
his commandments, thus far, that the
habitual tranfgrefTor of it, fhall not be
fubjefted
33 2 On the Extent of
Serm. fubjefted to condemnation ; but obtaia
X- eternal life', thro' the merits of Chrift-,
provided this habitual finner f'.oufiy and
confdenUoHJly obferves ail tlie other com-
mandments : This being the cale, I fay,
it follows, that every man may give full
fcopc to himfelf, as to that particular lull
or lin, which his heart is moll let upon.
And he Avill doubtlefs efteem this a great
and bleflcd /^rrj;/<fg-(f, which he enjoys by
the GoJpel ; and improve it accordingly.
It is, farther to be obferved, that tliere
is no one great, caixhnal vice or impiety,
to which one man or another is not more
incUned, than to any other : And every
perfon, by the prefent fuppofition, being
permitted to prartice that one iin, which
fuits his himiour and talte the beft ; it
plainly follow^s, that all fins are permitted ;
not, indeed, all to one and tlie fame man,
but one to one man, and another to ano-
ther. No one muft be fo feltifh as to en-
grofs and monopolize all kinds of lin :
But yet all men may take them all, and
fhare them amongft themfelves : And yet
no man give up his hopes of falvation !
Now let me alk any man in his fenfes^
Whether this is not to give all manner of
wickednefs and impiety a free conrfe^ that
they may run and bt glorified ii\ the world .^
Is uot this, in effe(ft, to open the gates of
the
Evangelical Ohediei^ce. 333
the bottomlefs J>it, for a monftrous, hellijh SeRM.
fwarm of vices to iffiie out, and overfpread X,
the face of the earth ; like the hcufts
which St, John faw in his vifioTi, doming
up from thence ! How wretched and mi-^
ferable ? how much like hell, muft thi^
world be, if every man might habitually
bre^k one commandment with impunity ?
if one man might cheat or rob • another
perjure himfelf ; another blafpheme his
maker ; another commit adultery ; ano-
ther, murder ; and fo on ? Does not the
prefent fuppofition tend to deluge the
earth with a flood of wickednefs and vio-
lelice. For fince men are not generally
much fet upon the pmftice of more fins
than one ; and fince, upon the prefent
luppofition, every man may indulge him-
felf to the full, in one ; there is manifeftly
but little difference betwixt giving men
A licence to indulge themfelves in that
particular y?;f, which they are the moft in-
clined to ; and giving them the fame li-
cence with refpe(^l to all others. Howe-
ver different the two fuppofitions may ap-
pear at firft view, they come very near to
the fame thing at laft : So that you had
almoft as good take off* all the reftraints
and obligations of religion from men's
minds, at once ; and tell them they might
be faved, altho' they habitually violated
all
334 ^^ ^'^^ 'Extent of
all the commandments ; as take off that
oWigation in one refpec^t, by telling them,
they iTiay be faved altho' they pcrfevere
in the breaking oione commandment. Is
not fuch an indulgence as I am (peaking
of, abfolutely repugnant to the wifdom
find holincfs of God ? — that God, who is
of purer eyes than to behold iniquity ? It is
certainly repugnant to all fober, rational
(:onceptions of God, and of a moral go-
vernment, to imagine that He gives mea
any fuch difpenfation for linning, tho' but
in o:jc point ; or that he will have mercy
upon thoie who thus offend. Nor is tliis
lefs contrary to the exprefs declarations of
the gofpel, than it is to fober reafon. •
But, as was faid before, this fuppofition
itl'elf, that men may poffibly obey all the
commandments of God, fmcerely and pi-
oufly, as chriftians ought to do ; and yet
prefumptuoiuly^ perfevere in any known
fin, is a contradiclion. There is no true
and hearty obedience to any of God's com-
mandments ; there is no truly pious and
holy principle in the heart of a man, un-
iefs all the commandments are regarded.
Piety and virtue, or evangelical holinefs,
is a uniform chara(^tcr. No man can be
habitually pious in fome refpeds, and yet
habitually impious in others : No man can
truly love virtue, as fuch, iu fome ia-
lUnccs,
Evangelical Obedience. 335
ftances, without loving it in all. He may, Serm.
indeed, do many pious and virtuous ac-
tions, if you confider them externally ;
and view only the furfaces of things : But
God looketb at the heart ; and while that re-
mains rebellious to oie commandment,
God accounts the tranfgrefTor, as he real-
ly is, in fome fenfe, guilty of all.
Upon the whole : A truly good man
prefumes not to fay in liis heart, " Thefe
commandments will I keep, becaufe I can
do fo, without much trouble or incon-
venience to myfelf ; but that other I will
difobey, becaufe it is irkfome to jflefh and
blood ; and requires great felf-deniaU"
This is evidently the language of ftub-
bornefs and rebellion ; 'tis the language
of an heart unfubdued to the authority of
God ; an heart unanimated with love and
gratitude to Chrift ; an heart unfandlified
by the Holy Spirit ; and therefore unfeaJei
to the day of redemption. The language of
a truly good man's heart, istliis, — ."O my
God ! O my Redeemer, and Saviour ! I
am not mine own, bvit bought with a
price : Therefore will I be -wholly thine ;
I will glorify God in my body and in my
fpirit which are his ; I will do nothing
which thou haft forbidden ; I will re-
nounce every luft however dear : I will,
by thy grace and afliftance, ujalk in all thy
corrh
;(y 0/i the Extent of
'a. crjiumandmcnts and ordinances blamelefs^'-^
He that has not fuch a principle of univer-^
"^' ' i'al, unreferved fubmiflion to the will or
God and his Redeemer, rooted in his heart ;
iias Kcne that is truly chrijiian : But he is
Hill alienated from the life of God thro the ig-
norance that is in him^ becaufe of the hlindnefs
of his heart.
Having thus fhown, That chriftian
piety and virtue is a uniform, univerfal
principle in the heart, extending itfelf to
cdl the precepts of the gofpcl ; fo that who-
focvcr tnily obej'^s in one inftance does fo
in all inftances ; and whofoever difobeys
habitually in one refpeft, is, in a fenfe,
fuilty of all ; I proceed now to give a more
particular defcription of this obedience, as
it is found in the heirs offahation.
i It appears from what has been faid a-
bove, that chriftian obedience is partly
internal, partly external. It begins in the
hearty in faith, or a principle of real piety
and virtue feated there. Thence it diffufes
itfelf into the actions and lives of men,
regulating and animating all their out ward
deportment. Thofe who are really the
fubiec^ts of chriftian piety, or evangelical
h'>^inefs, are the fame men ivithin, that
thev are vjithout, or in appearance. If
you could look into the breail of a good
jnan you would there fee that, wliich cor-
refponds
Evangelical Obedience. 337
refponds and anfwers to his outward be- ^^erm.
haviour j the latter being only a refem- X-
blance and copy of the former ; tho* one
attends the other as certainly and invari-
ably as the /hadow docs the fubftance,
there being an infepatable connexion be-
twixt them. So that, on one hand,He is
certainly no chriftian, all whofe religion is
within, not exerting itfelf in a good exter-
nal behaviour : And, on the other hand,
He is no chriftian, all whofe religion is ex-
ternal, having nothing which correfponds
thereto in his own heart and breaft. The
one has neither the pozver nor the form of
godlinefs : The other, tho* he has the
form, yet he denies the power thereof;
being like thofe, whom our Saviour com-
pares to " ivhited/epulchres, which indeed
appear beautiful outwardly but are within
full of dead men's bones, and of all un-
cleannefs/*
Again : As the precepts of the gofpel
may be diftributed under the two heads
of negative and pofitive ; /. e. Commands
prohibiting the doing of fome things, and
injoining the doing of others ; chriftian
obedience may be diftributed into negative
and pofitive, likewife ; fo as to correfpond
to theie different kinds of precepts. The
true difciple of Chrift accounts himfelf o-
bligedj not only to abftain from what his
Z Lord
338 On the Extent of
Lord has forbiddc!ii,but to do thofc things
which he has required. Accordingly he
avoids with care, all thofc paths which he
is admonifhed not to walk in ; and con-
fciendoufly pertonns the duties which arc
mjoined upon him. He knows that in
the judgment of the great day, according
to our Saviour's own reprcfcntation of it,
men will be condemned, not only for
committing thofc criilics \\ hich the gofpel
has forbidden, but alfo for oniittin^^ thofc
duties which it has required us to practice.
He is therefore cautious, on one hand,
left he ihould trefpafs againft any of the
negative commandments ; and careful on
the other, to fulfill all the duties and obli-
gations'lying upon him.
This leads me to obferve, that chriftian
obedience refpefts both the ??:oriils of the
gofpel, and the pojithe ifijl'itutions of it.
A true difciple of Chrift efteems himfelf
bound to conform to the/;;y?/7/^/^^ worfliip,
and the ritual or ceremonial part of Chrift's
rehgion,as well as to that part of it which
we diftinguifli therefrom, by the name of
moral. With him, every thing is an effen-
tial branch of duty and obedience, which
Chrift's laws have aftually and plainly in-
joined, by whatever name it is called,
whether morality, or pofitive inftitution.
Indeed die obligation is, in a fenfc moral,
alUio*
Rv angelical Obedience. 339
altho' the duty, confidered in itfelf, may not Serm.
be fo. For certainly we are under a mo- X.
ral obligation to comply with the ivhole
will -of God and our Redeemer, in what
way foever it is made known to us ; whe-
ther by the light of nature, or by revela-
tion and pofitive command. I do not, in^
deed, alTert that a chriftian lays an equal
ftrefs upon every thing which Chrift has
commanded. There were fome weightier
matters of the law, of old : There are al-
fo fome weightier matters of the gofpel
now : And our Saviour and his apoftles,
have evidently made tliis diflindion.
However, a fincere chriftian does not
think any of his Lord's commandments
of fo little importance, that they need not
be obeyed. There is, in fliort, no trifle
in our religion, unlefs you will fay, that
the Author of it was a Trifler ! — All the
real duties of it are folemn, weighty and
important, in their refpeftive places ; and
all ftamped with a divine authority. The
whole fyftem of chriftian duties, or of
chriftianity reduced to life and praftice,
is like a goodly fabrick, arifmg into uni-
formity, proportion and beauty, by a
correfpondence and due adjuftmcnt of the
various parts. A Ikilful JirchiteB will o-
mit nothing which might contribute to
rfie regularity, the ftrength and beauty of
Z a the
3;^p On the Extent of
Serm. the whole /»/7r, merely becaufc it is not a
X. main pilar \\\ the building, nor a part of
the foundation. Neither will a wile and
good man neglecl: any One dutN*", under
-the vain pretence,th>t it is not -Si fundament
'tal one ; or that his ipiritual edifice vnW
Hand (iron crenoii Hi withoutit. Andthofc
who cxcuie thcnifclves from known, plain
duties,under this hypocritical pretext, will
•find that they have not buHt their houji up
on a rock, but only upon the fand ; and
'great will be the fall thereof
. But I mult be a little more particular
ftill,in this account of the chrillian temper
^nd charafter, as it refpecls God, our Sa-
viour, our neighbour, our felvcs.
The fincere Chriftian has an undif-
fembled love and veneration for God, as
the beft and greateft, and moil glorious
of Beings. He heartily rcfpeds and ho-
nors Him ; is thankful for His mercies ;
trufts and hopes in Him ; and prizes His
favour above all things. Hence it is tq
him as his meat and his drink to do the
will of his Father, who is in heaven. He
is patient under adverfity, as being fent
or permitted by Him for wile and good
ends. In profperity, he coniides not in
the uncertain things of this world ; but in
the living God, who giveth him all things
richly to enjoy. He is truly grateful to
Him,
Evangelical Obedience, 341
Him, as the original author and beftow- Serm.
er of every thing good ajid defireable, X.
whether pertaining to life or godlinefs. *•• ^'"""^
He is heartily forry and penitent for his
iins ; confefling them, from time to time,
with humihty and a contrite heart -, pray-
ing for the forgivenefs of them, in. the
fpirit of the Tublkan ; and imploring the
divine afliltance, tJiat he may walk more
as becomes a child of God for die future,
and be kept by his pouuer thro faith unto faU
nation. To which end, he does not only
fray^ but ahb i.mtch ; and is diligent in
the improvement of all the means which
God has appointed, in order thereto ;
thinking it great prefumption and impiety
to truft in God for falvation, in any other
way than that which He has ordained. ,
The true difciple of Chrift, loves Him
alfo in lincerity ; and heartily efteems and
honors him, as being the i?nage of the in-
vi/ible God, the brightnefs of his glcrj, the
exprefs image of his perfon. He conflders
him as the great Ambaflador and Prince
of peace, whom God fent into this apof-
tate, guilty world, to lave finners ; to lave
that Avhich was loft. This he accounts
ti fiiif^ftil fajing, and worthy of all acfeptation ;
as good tidings of great joj to all people. He
loves and honors this great Minifler of
heaven, as One who has fliown the moll;
Z 3 amazjng
34^ ^^ ^^^ Extent of
Serm. amazing kindnefs and condcfcention to
guilty men, in becoming incarnate ; in
undergoing poverty and reproach, and
enduring the contradiclion of jinners aga'injl
himfelf) in pouring out his foul unto deaths
and bearing cur Ji>is in his own body on the
tree. The true difciple of Chrilt cannot
think of thefe things,, without being filled
with pleafing admiration, with holy gra-
titude, love and joy. And having a fixed
belief of their truth, and a thorough fenfe
of them upon his heart, he accordingly
repofes his truft in Chrilt for falvation, in
fubordination to the Father, who fcnt hirti
on this gracious errand. He w' illingly re-
figns himfelf into the hands of his great
Redei^mer, in full confidence that he is
able to fave them unto the uttermojl^ ivho conic
unto God by him ; and that he is faithful to
keep that which is committed to him. And
knowing that God has exalted him, that
he might be a Trince^ as well as a Saviour^
he confiders him as his Lord and Sove-
reign, whom he is bound to obey ; and
accordingly fubmits to be governed by his
laws. Without this he knows that Chrilt
can profit him nothing. However this is
not* the only motive of his obedience :
Love (i\K\ gratitude to One, who has laid
him under fuch mighty obligations, are a
ftrong incentive thereto ; and he is fenli-
^ blc
Evangelical Obedience. 343
ble he can never live enough to i?/w, who Serm.
has died for him. Prom thele and fuch- X.
Hke confiderations, the fmccre Chriilian
ehearfully conforms himfelf to the com-
Xjiandments of his Redeemer ; often cal-
Ymg to mind the time when the heavens
which have received him, fhall again re-
veal him With his mighty angels, in the
glory of the Father ; to be admired in all
them that belieye ; and to render tq the ir-
reclaimable workers of iniquity, accord-
ing to their doings : The contei^iplation
of which final fcene, and great decifive
day, when the jnjjlery of God Jloall be fini-
Jhedy fills him with facred awe, mixed with
holy hope and joy ; all confpiring to
make him diligent that he may be found
of his Judge in peace, rn^ithout fpt and
blamelefs.
Christian obedience may alfo b,e
conlidered with particular reference to
our fellow-men. A chriflian looks upon
all men as his brethren by nature \ as the
offspring of the fame God, the common
Father of alh He accordingly bears a
hearty good will and benevolence to all ;
efpecially when he reflects, that Chrifl fo
loved them, as to give his lije a ranfotnfor
all. This extenfivc charity makes liim
bear a part both in the joys and forrows
of others : He is not an indifferent, uncon-
Z 4 cerned
344 ^^ ^^^ Extent of
oFRAf, ccrncd fpcclator of the woes and calami-
X. ties that befall his fellow-mortals ; or like
the rock on the fea-fliore, which proudly
looks down on the Ihipwreck at its foot,
without a groan, or lympathizing tear.
No ! He feels for all ; iveef'tng with them
that weepy and rejoicitig with them that do
rejoice. As he has opportunity, he does
good to all men ; but ej feci ally to therrt that
are of the houj}'<old of faith. He is fincerely
defirous of ading fuch a part upon the
ftage of life, as may render him fervicc-
able to the world, whatever ftation pro-
vidence has afligned him ; — ferviceable,
more particularly, to thofe, with whom
he has any fpecial connexion or inter-
courfe. He therefore proceeds, accord-
ing to his capacity, in all the tranfactions
of civil and Ibcial life, by the rules of juf-
ticc, charity and prudence. Is he a civil
ruler ? The apoiUe's defcription is exem-
plified in him ; — He is the- minijier of God
for good ; a terror to evil doers , atjd a praifc
to them that do well. Is he a private fub-
je6l ? He is a quiet and peaceable one ;
hcm^fabjvH for confcience Jakcy and giving
honor ^ to whom honor is due ; fear^ to whom,
fear ; tribute, to whom tribute. Is he a pa-
rent ? He is a kind and tender one ; and
endeavours to promote both the prefent
md future welfare of his olTspring. Is l>c
Evangelical Obedience. 3^^
a child ? He honors his parents in the Lord, SsRM.
knowing that this is right. Is he a mafter ? X.
He is a juft and reafonable one, remem-
bring that he alfo has a niajier in keaven.
Is he a fervant ? He is faithful and diligent,
with good will doing fervice ; knowing
that vjhat good thing Jhever a man doth, the
fame h;^ pall receive of the Lord, whether he
he bond or free. The true chriflian is juil
to all men, rendering to all their dues : He
is obliging to his friends, grateful to his
benefadors, placable to his enemies, com-
panionate to the poor and afflifted, lincere
m his promifes, faithful in the perfor-
mance ; more difpofcd to cover, with the
mantle of charity, the faults and follies of
his neighbours, than wantonly to expofe
them. He does not judge, and condemn,
and ict at naught his brother, merely be-
caufe he is of a different perfvvafion in re-
ligious matters ; this common praftice be-
ing as contrary to the fpirit and genius,
and to the exprefs precepts of the gofpel,
as either drnnkennefs or Jlealing, adulterj or
profane fu earing. In fine here ; the real
Chriflian loves his neighbour as himfelf;
and from this principle, does unto all men
ivhatfoever he would that they fould do unto
him. By this grand, comprehenfive max-
im, he regulates all his focial behaviour ;
even in thofe cafes where exprefs, pofitivc
precept >
34-6 On the Extent of
precepts are wanting, as well as thole
wliere they take place.
Lastly : Chriltian obedience maybe
confidered with relation to a man's felf.
And if we confider it in this light, the
true difciple of Chrift keeps under his bo-
dy, and brings it into fubjedion : Or in
tlie language of St. Taul in another place,
He, thro the fpirit^ mortifies the deeds of the
body. The rational and i'piritual part ia
him ( which is king by divine right ^ \i\ the
ccconomy and conihtution of man ) bears
fway over animal nature, refti'aining the
fubjet^t-paflions, and giving law to them*
No fin reigns in life mortal body, fo that
he obeys it in the lufts thereof. He is nei-
ther a gluttonous man, nor a wine-bibber,
nor an unclean perfan ; but is fober and
temperate in all things, as one that drives
for the maftery. He poflefleth his body
^irbtf. 4. in /ancl if cation and honor f , as the teviple of
ticir6.i9 ^^^ ^^'b ^^^^ft Xt and the habitation of God
*Epb.i.ii thro" the Spirit *.
Thus I have confidered the extent of
evangelical obedience ; and given you a
fhort defcription of it, as it is found in the
hearts and lives of good men. It is, in-
deed, only the out-lines, and fome of the
moll llrong and diflinguilhing features of
the new ?mfiy which I have drawn : There
is not time to fill up and finifh tlie pidure.
Some
Evangelical ObediencB. 347
Some perfons would, probably, have been Serm.
better pleafed, if I had talked more of X. ,
high flights, and raptures, and extaftcs^aml
lefs about the morality of the chrilHan cha-
rader. But fuch things, in this kind of
painting, 'I mud confefs, appear to me to
to be no better than vain- ornaments, and
fiounfiesy aud a gaudy drapery ; which ra-
ther obfcarc, than heighten and improve,
the beauties of a piece. The chriitian
character is fo amiable in itfelf, without
any thing of this fort, that it Hands in no
need thereof to recommend it to thofe,
who have a true and jufl: tafie. It is not
every chriftian that is caught up withSaint
Taul, into the third heaven, and hears un-
fpeakable words, and has a multitude of re*
velations given to him : And many that
6YAy fancy this is the cafe with them, are
lifted up above mcafure -, thinking them-
itlvQifo fpiritual, that they have no need
to be rmraL In fliort, to fpeak of things
of this nature, I mean of thefe flights and
raptures, as common to fmcere chriftians,
and the evidences of a good eftate, (as
many do) has a direcl tendency to millead
and beguile people ; but none at all, to
edify them, or make them wife tofahation.
For which reafon I have chdfen to con-
fine myfeif within the limits of fl:ri6l,fober
truth, in fpeaking upon this important
point.
348 On the Extent of
DERM, point. Nor can I think that any man has
X. a right, according to the dochine of the
golpeljto look upon himfelf as a favourite
of heaven, and an heir of thepromifes,the
temper of whofe mind, and whofc out-
ward beha\'iour, does not in general cor-
refpond to the account given above. In-
deed that kingdom of God which is with-
in uSjConfifting in righteoufrfcfs and peace
and joy in the Huly Gholl, is, in fome rc-
fpefts, like His external and vifible king-
dom : It is, as a gram of muftard feedy
( which is the kafi of all) when it firft
takes root in the heart : but it afterwards
becometh a tree^ fhooting its branches to
heaven ; and,being watered with the dew
thereof, and warmed by 'the influences of
Him, who is a Stin as well as Shield^ it
bcareth more than twelve manner of fruit j
grateful to God and man. Hence it
comes to pafs,that all truly good men may
not be able to fee, with equal clearnefs,
the evidence of their behisz inch : becaufe
this muft depend, in a great meafure, up-
on the progrefs they have made in good-
nefs and holinefs. However the neix^-born
habe^ as well as the full-grown man^ in
Chrifl Jcftis, has all the features and mem-
bers of a child of God : Tho' I have been
fpeaking of the chrilHan temper and cha-
ladcr in general, -vvithout dcfcending to
any
'Evangelical Obedience^ 349
any fuch niceties \ which feem to be un- Serm.
profitable, and therefore needlefs.
I HAVE been laying before you, my
Brethren, t\v3it law of liberty^ which is the
rule of your obedience, and by which you
are to be judged hereafter : I have been
holding up to you that facred mirrour,
which I mentioned to you in the begin-
ning of this difcourfe, in order to your
feeing and knowing yourfelves. Have
you looked into it ; and beheld the true
features and complexion of your fouls ?
your moral and religious characters ? If
you have, fuffer me to be fo officious as
to alk you, What iiianner of men you are ?
Do you find the chriftian temper within
)^ou, fo that you can reafonable look
upon yourfelves as being in a ftate of fa-
vour with God ; and rejoice in hope of
His glory ? Do your confciences bear you
witnefs, that your hearts are upright to-
wards God ? and that you come up to the
charatter of thofe who are doers of the
word ? to the character of Chrift's faitliful
difciples ? Has the gofpel had its proper
influence upon your hearts,fo that you do
not only feem to be religious, but are
really and internally fo ? Do you perform
the various duties required of you, as well
as abftain from thofe 7?^/ which God has
forbidden ? Do you pay a due regard both
to
350 On the Extent of
Serm. to the moral 2,r\(\ the inJJituted ^2.rt of chri-
X. flianity ; walking in all the ordinances
^-"'^r'^ -nd commandments of the gofpel I — thofc
which you yourfelves cannot but acknow-
ledge to be fuch ; and obligatory upon
you ? Do you love God above all things,
efteeming his favour as life, and his lov-
ifig-klruhefs as better than lifel Is your trea-
fure and your heart in heaven, whither thf.
fore-runner is for us entered^ even Jefus F
Do you fincerely love and honor your Re-
deemer : Do you love your neighbour as
your felvcs ? Are you jult to all men ? for-
giving? kind? charitable according to your
own capacity, and the ncceffities ofo-
thers ? Do you honor your fuperiors ? Are
you condefcending to your inferiours ?
Do you rejoice in the profperity, and
mourn in the adverfity, of others ? Do
you obferve all the known laws of fobrie-
ty and temperance, mortifying your 7nembers
luhich are upon the earth ? cherifhing and
cultivating your rational, intelledual part,
and lualkingin the fpirit ? In fine, are your
wills fubdued to the divine authority ; fo
that you make the known laws of the gof-
pel the rule of your conduft in every re*
(pert ?-— " As many as walk according to
" this rule, peace be on them, and mer-
^ Eph, 6. " cy, and upon the Ifracl of God ! *' — . *
'^" If you can anfwcr thefe important
queftions
Evangelical Obedience. 351;
queftions in the affirmative, you have no Serm,
reafon to doubt but that you are the chil- X.
dren of God ; and if children^ then heirs ^
heirs of God^ and joint-heirs with Jefis
Chrif, to an inheritance incorruptible and «;/-
jdcfiledy and that fadcth 710 1 away — If you
cannot ; you have certainly no ground to
think yourfelv^es Chrift's true difciples,
fuch as he will own hereafter, when he
fhall be revealed from heaven. If there
is any one known commandment which
you habitually violate, you have no lot nor
portion in this jnatter. And if any fhould
think fuch doftrine as this, harp and fe^
"jere ; and that, according hereto, by
far the greater part of the chriftian world
muft be condemned ; I fhall only anfwcr,
that you are not to blame me for this : I
had no hand in making the terms, upon
which God offers eternal life to his finful
creatures : I w^as not his counfeller ; but
only declare to you, as plainly as I can,
wiiat thefe terms really are — •
But however rigorous this do6lrine
may feem to men that are wedded to this
world ; that are immerfed in fenfuality
and vice, inflead of being purified in the
fountain opened to wafh in, therefrom ; I
doubt not, but fome of my hearers judge
otherwife ; and can truly fay, that both
Uieir inward temper, aud external condud,
correfpond
352 On the Extent of
oERM. corrcfpond to the reprefenration given a-
X • bovc, of evangelical obedience. Happy,
^ thrice liappy, are all fuch ! They may be
afTured, that their tranjgrejfions arc forgiven^
and their//;;/ covered \ that they ^vtjujli-
fed from all things ; that there is no con-
demnation belonging to them ; that they are
the friends of the great, the eternal God ;
that they are intitled to his favour in life,
in death, thro'out eternity ; and that when
He, Avho once died for them, and unto
whom they now hve by faith, fhall appear
the fccond time roithout fin^ they flmll alfo
appear with him in glory ! '* For he is
faithful that promifed. " —
There are, probably, other Peifons,
who are in doubt whether the}' come up
to the character of chrillians, or not.
And it is certainly incumbent upon all
fuch, to be impartial in the examination
of their own hearts ; and to grow better
than they are at prefent, that fo thefe
doubts may be removed. Poflibly they
may be truly good and pious, not\^ ith-
ftanding their fufpicions concerning them-
felves : It is alfo poflible that their fufpi-
cions are but too ivell grounded ; and that
they are, at leaft, as bad as they fear they
are. But be their real ftate and character
"what it will, it will certainly be no difad-
vantage to them, to endeavour to knovf
what
Evangelical Obedience. 353
what it is ; and to make their calling ^wrf^E^M*
eleBion fure. To be in doubt, in lb inte- X.
rcfling and important a point, muft needs
occalion great dijiiuictnde in the breaft of
ever}^ good man ; but it may be of fcital
conlequcnce for the vicious to come to a
wrong determination as to themlelves :
And this is what they are in danger of,
by reafon of that partiaUty, which is fo
natural to us all ; and to which vicious
men are peculiarly fubjeft.
BuTnotwithflandingfelf-condemnation
is fo irkfome and difigreabic ; yet it is to
be feared that fome cannot avoid it ; the
conviftion of their wickednefs being too
full and flrong upon their minds to be re-
filled, or evaded. Would to God there
were none, whofe whole temper and cha-
racter in general, is fo directly and fla-
grantly the reverfe of the chriftian, as ab-
folutely to take away from them the pow-
er of doubting in the prefent cafe ! Can he
w^ho neither fears (jod, nor regards man ?
Can the profane fvvearer and blafphemer ?
Can the thief ? Can the liar ? Can the re-
viler of his brethren ? Can the drunkard ?
the adulterer I the w^horemonger ? — -Can
a perfon who knows that either of thefe
charatters belongs to him, make it a
quejlion, whether he is a chriftian, or not !
whether he is intitled to the great and
A a precious
354- ^^ ^^^ Extent of
Serm. precious promifes of tl:ie gofpel ! whether
X. he is a foil and heir of God, and a joint
^'^^^ heir with Chrift, to the heavenly inheri-
tance ! No : it is impoflible, if he looks into
the pcrfetl laiu of liberty) and into liis own
heart, at the lame time : He will tind his
fin 'Written ivith a fen of iron, and with the
point of a diamond, and graven upon the table
t7cr.i7.i of his heart. ^ He mnfl know, that he is
not of God ; but of his father the devil^
XJoh.z 44. luhofL' lufls he does. X I ^^^'1 ^^^^ indeed,
prefume to fay, that there are any perfons
of fuch a flagitious character in this af-
fembly : ( For I would not bring a railing
accnfation even againft the devil, tho' I
were contending with him, as Miehael
^7'^J^,v.g. did, about th- body of Mofes ; § much Icfs
would I bring fuch an accufation againft
my brethren ;) However, One may venture
to fay,without giving jufl: caufe of offence,
that there is feldom fuch a number of
people together, in any part oiChriflcndom,
wliere there are not more than one, or t-ivoy
or ten perfons, to wliom no better a cha-
rafter belongs — ^What the natural pre-
fumption is, therefore, in the prcfent llate
of the world, You are as able to judge as
I The matter is refered, as in the
prefence of Him, who is acquainted with
all our ways, to every man's own bread
and confcience.
All
Evangelical Obedience. 355
All revealed religion is an appeal xo Serm.
the reafon and eonfciences of men ; to the X.
law originally written, by the fijiger of
God, upon the flefhly tables of our hearts.
Chriftianity, the ivord Avhich you hcai\
and ought to receive with meekncfs^ is a
jl'ip or cyan brought from heaven to earth,
to be ingrafted upon the natural^ iviU olive"
tree ; that fo you might bring forth fruit
unto God. But if you will perverfely tear
out this cyon ; if you will not fuffer it to
grow ; if you will not give in to the dic-
tates of your own hearts and eonfciences,
but will thwart and contradict them, (as
people often do) what remedy can be
found !■ — ^Tho' one arofe from the dead^ you
would not give heed to him ! — Let every
one who hears me, be admonifhed, there*
fore, not to rejed: Mofes and the Trophets^
Chrift and the apoftles. I warn you, in
the name of that God, who has given you
your reafon and moral fenfe of things, to
reverence your felves ; and not to put your
reafon and confcience to filence, as you
value the falvatioH of your fouls. O Man !
God is greater than thy heart, and knouueth all
things. Thinkeft thou, then, that thou
fhalt efcape his righteous judgment, when
thou condemned thyfelf ; and canft not
avoid doing fo ? I will not appeal even
unto defar^ in this interefting caufe ; but
A a 2 to
3 5^ On the Extent of
Serm. t07^r/r/?/L;<f'j. Under a /c-r/^'t?/)' right and
X- good adininidration of things, all depends
upon a right /r^;.^r;' of mind ; upon honef-
ty and uprightncfs of Ibul. Therefore if
thou hall not this temper, thy foul is left. I
Heaven is iliut agaiiill: thee, whofoever
thou art,that perliitelt in rebellion againlt
thy God, x\\y Iledconcr, thy j elf. Turn then,
at God's reproof ; at thy Saviour's reproof;
at thine own ;T/>r66/'; atthe reproof of thine
o^^vn conjcience ; for to this I make my ap-
.pcaL Do you not know that you are Jin-
fiers ? Fly, then,/^/' refuge to lay hold upon
the hope ft before jou'; that fo you may
have that ftrong corfolat'ion, whieh refults
from the gofpel, to them that hold both
fulth and a good confience, inftead of hold'nig
aIw truth in unnghteoufnefs. And Behold !
^that God,whofe righteous laws you have
,fp often broJ>en, is gracious and merciful ;
^iwi-willirtg that you fould per if . If you
humbly confefs and forlake your fins. He
Will forgive your fins, and cleanle you
from all unrighteoufjK'fs,even in the foun-
itaiu.that was opened, by the Roman fpear,
in tjiy Redeemer's {idc : For the blood of
Chriji clcanfeth from all //;:. Behold ! He
,\v)io once bare your fins in his own body
on the tree, and is (ince " palled into the
.heavens, Jeilis the Son of God, '* is a mer-
c if lil.'Mid fit hfil hi<yh pricfl, iu tilings per-
taining
Evangelical Obedience. 3*57'
taming to God ; and thofe that come un-
to him, he will in no wife call out. Be-
hold ! that blcffed Spirit of promijiy of dif-
cipline and comfort, wdiich 3"ou have fo
often grieved and quenched, and driven
away from you, is ready to return, to reft
upon you, to take up his abode in your
hearts ; and to feed you to the day cfredemp-
Hon. Behold ! " there is joy ill heaven o-
ver one fmncr that repenteth !"• — ^But if
neither the feverity of the law, nor the
grace of the gofpel ; if neither the fear of
hell, nor the hopes of heaven ; if neither
the terrors of divine and merited wrath,
nor the endearments of divine unmerited
love ; if neither of thefe things, nor all of
them m conjunction, can bring down, can
foften and difToh'e thy ftony heart ; if
thou art thus abandoned, thus irreclaim-
able ; if thou hadft rather caufe exultation
and triumph in hell, amongft the angels
of darknefs, than rejoicing in heaven, a-
mongft the angels of light ; take then,
thine own courfe, and fee what the end
of thefe things will be- — ■" the end of them,
who obey not the gofpel of God. '' * In *^^'^'^A
vain do you hope for mercy upon other
terms than thofe, which the God of mercy
and of truth has marked out to you': In
vain has He manifefted fo much love and
compaflion to you : In vain has He given
t\ Aa ^ liis
358 On the Extent of
Serm. his own dear Son to be the Saviour of the
X. world : In vain was a hodj prepared iov iiim,
'^'^'^^r^^ in the di\ ine counfel, before the founda-
tions of the world were laid : In vain was
he made manifeft in the ficfh, in the////-
nefs of time : In vain was that body
hung, and broken, and pierced on the
crofs, the fun, in the mean time, hiding
his face, the vail of the temple being rent
in twain, the earth quaking, the rocks
rending, the graves opening, the dead
* Luke 23. ariling : * In vain was ** the blood of the
1^^^%. 27. everlalling covenant " poured out for
5'» 52- 3^ou : In vain has God railed his Son from
the dead, ajad given him glory, that he
mi^ht be a Prince and a Saviour : In vain
is the forgivenefs of fins that arepaft, thro*
the forbearance of God, preached to you
in his name : In vain is all this done, if
you will not accept of eternal life, upon
thofe gracious terms on which the goipel
oficrs it to you : And if you believe it can
be obtained upon any otJier, than thofe ol
being doers of the word, you deceive your-^
cwnfehesj and your faith is also
VAIN ! Remember that divine admonition^
• — ." Bccaufe I have called, and ye refufcd,
" I have ftrctched out my hand, and no
*' . man regarded ; But ye have fet at
** nought all my counfel, and would none
*' of my reproof; I alio will laugh at your
[' calamity,
Evangelical Obedience. 359
" calamity, I will mock when your fear Serm.
'* Cometh ; when your fear cometh as X.
" defolation, and your deflruclion cometh ^-""v**'
" as a whirlwind ; when dillrefs and an-
" guifh cometh upon you. Then fhall
" they call upon me, but I will not an-
^' fwer ; they Ihall feek me early, but they
" Ihall not find me : For that they hated
*' knowledge, and did not choose the
" fear of the Lord.* — Therefore fhall they
" eat of the fruit of their own way, and
" be filled wth their own devices," § \^''^' '•
24—31.
A a 4 SERMON
360
SERMON XL
On the Dcceitfulnefs of the Hearty
<md god's pcrfed Knowledge
thereoi .
Jeremiah XVII. 9, 10.
THE heart is deceitful above all tbh:gs^ and
dejperately ii'icked ; 7uho can know it ?
I THE LORD fearcb the heart, I trj
the reins, even to give tverj wan accord-
ing to his ways, and according to the fruit
Gf his doings,
THERE arc tlircc things to be confi-
dcred iii the fubjcd before us ;
First, What is implied in this affer-
don, That the heart is deceitful above all
things, and defperately wicked ; {o that it is
extremely ditficult, if not impoffiblc, ex-
a(5lly to know it ?
Secondly, Wliat is to be undcrllood
by God's fearching the heart, and trjing the
reins.
Thirdly,
Oit the Deceitfulnefs of the Hearty &c. ^fy<i
Thirdly, The end hereof, mmely^^^^^^*
That He may give every man according to .XL
his wajSy and according to the fruit of bis
doings.
These things comprehend the whole
fubjecl, which is to employ our thoughts
at this time : And, being confidered, they
v/ill lead us to fome practical reflections
of the mod important and interefling na-
ture.
First, Let us confider, what is im-
pUed in this aflertion, That the heart is
deceitful above all things^ and defperately
-wicked ; fo that it is extremely difficult,
if not impoffible, exaftly to know it.
The heart of man, in the moral, fcrip-
tural and theological fenfc, intends the
mind, or foul ; that living, active prin-
ciple within us, \vhich thinks, , choofes,
determines ; and which is, properly fpeak-
ing, the agent in all we do, whether good
or bad, the body being only its inllru-
ment ; intirely paffive, and therefore not,
in ftricl propriety, the fubje^t: of any
moral or religious qualities whatever.
So that to fay the hearts of men are de-
ceitful and wicked, arid to fay that men
are fo themfelves, amounts to the fame
thing at laft. And accordingly, in com-
mon difcourfe,wheh we fpeak of a wick-;
cd and good, a deceitful and honeft heart,
afcribing
362 On the Deceitfulnefs
Serm. afcribing one to one man, and the other to
XI. another ; we intend hereby to diilijigiiifli
' betwixt the real characters of men, confi-
dercd in a religious or moral view ; and
to give to them relpcftively, tliat whicl:
belongs to them : This is what we dellgn,
in this manner of fpeaking, however un-
jullifiablc it may be, to make {i^ free witli
our neighbours, charaders, as we often do.
From the foregoing obfcrvation, it is
evident that when it is faid, that the heart
is deceitful, ei'c. it cannot be intended,
that the hearts of. all men are fo : For this
would be, in eHec^t, to fay that all men
are deceitful above all things, and defpe-
ratelj wicked. To fay which, in abfolute
terms, and without limitation, would in
faft be, to take away that diltindion
which we always make betwixt the cha-
raftcrs of men, faying that thefe are up-
right and good, but thofe falfe and wick-
ed : Which diftindion betwixt men, is
alfo conftantly fuppofed, taken for grant-
ed, and afferted, in the holy fcriptures.
Can he be a good and upright man, whofe
heart is deceitful above all things, and
defperately wicked ! If he can, he muft be
fuch a kind of good man, as neither fcrip-
ture, nor common fenfc, knows any thing
of: So for from it, that in the language
of fcripture and commoa fcnfe^ to fay
that
of the Hearty &c, 363
that a perfon's heart, is thus decettfitl^ thus Serm.
defperately wicked, is to charaderize him XI.
as a- bad man, directly the revcrfe of him,
whom the Icripture ftyles good and up-
right. We mult therefore, either totally
confound all characters, afTcrting that
there are no fnicere good man, or elfe w^e
mufl: acknowledge that thefe words in the
prophet, are fpoken of the hearts of the
wicked, exclufively of others. For it is
abfolutely impofliblc to fhow% who is the
good man in diilindion from the wdcked,
or who the wicked man, in diftinclion
from the good, if it is common to all men
to have hearts that are fo deceitful and
wicked. You can fay nothing worfe of
the worfl men, than you actually fay of
the beft, if you apply this to all men in
general : So that either your diftindion
betwixt good men and bad, muft be vain
and groundlefs ; or elfe you wreft and
pervert the fenfe of fcripture, w^hen you
apply this worft of characters to all men
without exception. However, it is not
defigned in what is here faid, to intimate
that the hearts of any men are perfcftly
upright and good. There is doubtlefs a
degree of deceitfulnefs and wickednefs in
the hearts of the beft. But the fcripture
does not, by any means, authorife us to
fpeak in fuch ftrong, general terms, as
thefe
364 On the Deceitfidfiefs
Serm. thcfc ill the text, concerning the hearts of
XI. thofe, whom our Saviour himlclf diftin-
'— -^^^ ' guidies from others, by faying, that they,
• Luke 8. have an honejl and good heart, ^ Certainly
'5- no one riian s heart can be both honcfi and
good^ and deceitful above all things^ and dcj-
feratelj 'luickcd. To fay both thefe things
of the fame perfons, at the fame time,
would be as palpable a contradic5iion as
can be named. Were a man to tell me,
that my heart was " deceitful above all
things, and dcfperately wicked," how-
ever true this- might be, I fliould think he
called me nothing better than a Knave or
a Villain : And all thofe wiio acknowledge
this of their oiun hearts, do, in reality, ac-
know^ledgethat the fame charafler belongs
to themfelves ; tho* I am perf waded that
many, who exprefs themfelves in this man-
ner, neither deferve fuch a charafter, nor
w^ould be w'iUing to take it upon them : As
to fome others, I will not be confident. —
When it is faid in the text, that the
heart is deceitful, 6'^. it is evident that the
prophet had they^zi^/more efpecially in his
eye, whofe general, national charaftcr at
this time, w^as that of a profligate, abando-
ned people, in the common grofs fenfe ;
in contradiflinftion from a pious and vir-
tuous people : Such they are rcprefcnted
to be, in this very chapter ; and particu-
larly
of the Hearty 8cc. 365
larly in the firft verfe of it—" The fin of Serm.
'' Jiukh is written with a pen of iron,and XL
^' witli the point of a diamond ; it is gra- '"-''v— '
" vcn upon the table of their hearts, and
" upon the horns of your altars." It might
well be faid of fuch a people, in general,
that their hearts vjcre deceitful above all
ihiugs, and defperately wicked ; tho* there
were, doubtlefs,y3wd' men of an 7;^/'/^ and
good heart among them, even at this very .
time. It is evident, therefore, from the
context, from the commoii ufe of words,
and from the real diftinftion which there
is betwixt characters, (which diftinftion
is conflantly fuppofed and afTerted in fcrip-
ture) that what is here faid of the hcart,is
not to be refered to the hearts of all men
without difli nation. This can no more
be fuppofed, than it can, that when ourSa-
viour fays, " Out of the heart proceed evil
*' thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornicati-
" ons, thefts, falfe-witnefs, blafphemies ;"§ ^ ,^'' '^*
he intends to reprefent all men in com-
mon, as being murderers, adulterers, forni-
cators, thieves, falfe-fwearers, and blaf-
phemers ! Which certainly he did not in-
tend, fince none, to whom either of thefe
charafters belongs, " fhall inherit the
" kingdom of God." * Indeed, as Avas '^'''^'
faid before, the beft men are not perfeftly
free from all deceit and wickednefs : But
ftill,
366 On the DeceUfulnefs
flill, to be deceitful and wicked is not their
general, predominant character ; but the
very reverfe of it, viz. to be fincere, up-
right and good. ^
It is to be farther obferved, That when
the heart is faid to be deceitful, the pri-
mary and moft direft meaning, probably,
is, that it is deceitful with regard to other
perlbns ; fo that they cannot know it per-
fedly, nor fafcly repofe an intire, abfolute
confidence in a man, however juft he may
appear to be : A man may be deceitful
and hypocritical in all his pretences to
virtue and religion ; in all his promifes ;
and fadly difappoint thofe who put their
trufl in him — This fenfe feems naturally
fuggefted by the verfes immediately pre-
ceeding — ." Curfed be the man that trufl-
" cth in man, and maketh flefh his arm ;
" and'
* Tt would not he much to the purpofe, to obje«^ fo what is
faid above, the account which St. Paul gi\cs, 'Rom. 3d. of the
univcrfal wickednefs of mankind ; as where he fays, ** There
is none righteous, no not ore,"" Arc. Becaufc it is manifed,
that St P^u/ here means, rigbtrous in the ilrift, /f-^r;/ fenfe : It
being his aim, in this pafiage, to prove, That all the world is
become guilty before GcJ, in fuch a fenfe, that ly the deeds 0/ (he
Uto, no flefl: Jhallle jujlified : And fo to (how the ncccffity of
cvangchcal grace and mercy^ in order to juilification. The a-
poftlc intends, that there is no man xvhcUy without fin : Or u
it is exprcfrcd, Ecclef. 7. 20. That *' there is not a juft mia
•• upon earth, that doth gooti, ^x\^ finneth net .^^ Which, fure-
ly. is a very different thing from faying, that the heart of the
hoKieft frian on carih is *• deceitful tbovc all things, and ^kX^
ratcly wicked.'*
of the Hearty &c. 367
" and whofe heart departed! from the Serm.
" Lord," <hc. Why ? Becaufe the heart is XL
decettful ; and God alone, who is true and
faithful, can be fully and intirely confided
in. This feems to be the primary, and
mod obvious meaning of the paflage.
However, fince every man who is deceit-
ful with reference to his neighbour, is al-
fo, in fome fenfe, deceitful and falfe to
himfelf ; and fince the fcripture notion of
hypocrify, evidently includes both thefe
fpecies of difhonefty ; and (I may add)
fince the words of the prophet are fo ge-
neral, that they may well enough com-
prehend both ; I Ihall take the liberty to
iuppofe, that both may be actually intend-
ed here. And accordingly we may con-
fider the deceitfulnefs of the heart in a
twofold light ; firft, with reference to
others ; and then, . with reference to a
man's /elf,
J. St. With reference to ^M<?rj-. There
is fcarce a man, however deftitute of vir-
tue, religion, and honor, who does not,
at times, put on fome fhew and profeflion
of them : And this is often, tho' not al-
ways done, with a fix'd, formal intention
to deceive others into a good opinion of
him ; that fo he may carry his worldly
defigns and projects into execution more
efTedtually than he could, without the
con-
368 On the Deceitfulmfs
convcniency of a mafk. Malks arc not
only ufed in kings courts^ AA'hcre great men
are gorgeoujly apparalled^ and walk in flip-
fery places ; they are alfo worn in cottages ^
by the ignoble vulgar. And they are put
on by both, for the fame end in general ;
. which is, that the Wearer may accomplifh
-fome finifter, difhonell purpofe, which
he could not accomplilh io well without.
Thofc who pretend to a public fpirit, to
a patriotic principle of conduft, are not
always the merr they would be tho't to be.
No ! They are fometimes as void of true
honor, integrit}^ and love to their coun-
try, as the meaneft fycophant and court-
parafite. The malk will, perhaps, drop
off in a little while ; and you will itc
thefe raving patriots become as arrant
parafites, as thofe, againfl whom they
raved ; bartering all their pretended ho-
nor, and public fpirit, for tlie ivagcs of
unrighteoufnefs^ or only a title. But dc-
fcend from thefe heights, to the inferior
ranks of life. Do you not fee artizans,
rradefmen, labourers of every fort, yea,
even bcggaj's, putting on a malk of honor,
virtue and integrity, in their wajy in order
to deceive, and impofe upon, other peo-
ple r in order to accomplilh their particu-
lar ends ? The deceit, the wickednels of
men's hearts, is the fame in every degree
and
«//</.
of the Hearty &c. 369
and flation of life: It is as true, that men oERAf.
of Jon) degree are vanity^ as it- is, that men XI.
of high degree ore a lie, *
Shall we fay then, that there is no *KingD<j-
fuch thing as honor, virtue, and publick
fpirit, in" the world ? that all men's pre-
tences thereto, are vain and hypocritical I
and that they would throw off the mafk,
could they accomplifh their ambitious,
covetous, or other worldly defigns ? J No !
We can only fay, that we are often delud-
ed and mocked by falfe pretenders to vir-
tue and honor : Unlefs there were really
fnch qualities in nature, there could be no
counterfeits of them, any more than there
could be falfe, counterfeit coin, without
any true and genuine — Not only the ig-
norant and over-credulous,are often cheat-
ed and deceived by the falfe pretenders to
virtue ; but even the wife and prudent ;
I might add, the very eleSl : For even
good men are not exempted from decep-
tions and impofitions of this kind. Yea,
how great a paradox foever it may feem,
it is certainly true, that honeft, good, un-
defigning men, in whom there is no guile^
and who always fpeak and aft in the fim-
plicity of their hearts, are oftner deluded
B b by
X ^ Sir R may think this a true reprefentation of
tnank'-^f^ ; but a Sir A. O Jttjows it is not i and every
htaefi man knovjs fo too.
370' On the Deceitfulnejs
Sehm. by thcle fliUc appearances of virtue, than
XL otlier pcrfons. They are not fo apt to be
" lliipicious and jealous, and therefore are
not I'o much upon tlieir guard in this re-
fpe(51:, as others. Knowing, even from
experience, that there is in nature fuch
a thing as uprio;htnefs, honefty and good-
hcfi, they arq prone to cdnfide in the pre-
tenders thereto ; and to take up with any
plauliblc appearances. And this is the
piilyclue, that will lead us fully into the
fenfe and fpirit of St. TauPs words
" Charity thihketh no evil — believeth all
*' things, hopeth all things." A man
who is truly good and beneficent him-
Telf, knows that goodnefs and beneficence
arc not empty ]iamcs, but real qualities
and charafters : And he is, therefore, dil-
pofed to think that all who have the ap-
pearance, have the reality and trith of
them. On the other hand, he who does
not find in himfelf thefe moral qualities,
tho* he fometimes puts on the Ihew of
them, is inclined to think all others who
pretend to them, falfe and hypocritical, or
at, belt fanciful men; that all is but a mafk,
in order to a pcrfon's carrying on Iiis pri-
vate felfifh deligns- — And whoever thinks
thus ; whoever tells me that there is no
real honor, religion, virtue, or public fpirit
in the world, tells me, in other words,
that
of the Hearty &c. 37 1
that he hmifelf has no honor, reUgion, Serm.
virme, or pubUck fpirit : And tho' I could XI .
believe him, if he laid this o»ly of hhnfelf', ^— -^/^-^
yet I cannot, when he fays the fame of
all other men. No one, who himfelf ex-
periences what is termed honefty, good-
nefs, reUgion, charity, can, in the nature
of the thing, doubt whether any man can.
be held and influenced by thefe princi-
ples, or not. And therefore a man's de-
nying that any are, or can be, thus held
and influenced, is not only a tacit con-
fefllon, but a plain demonftration, that he
himfelf is a wicked man, and a Villain at
the bottom ; and equally fo, whether he
be a low or an bigh-liv d one- — -But not tp
digrefs too far — •
There is no one virtue or grace, but
what is laid claim to by pcrfons who are
dellitute of all. The T bar i fees ^ of whom
We read fo much in the gofpel, were, if
tve can believe our Saviour, fuch men.
They made many and long prayers ; they
fafted ; they gave alms ; they did many
good things ; fo that xhty outwardly appeared
righteous unto rsien. * But, what laid He, ^
who knew what was in man ? He faid they 23/ '
made long prayers for a " pretence" ; that
they gave alms to be " feen of men ;" that
they were " hypocrites ;" that they were
like " whited fepulchres ;'' and that they
B b 2 lliould
72 On the Deceitfulnefs
fhould " receive the greater damnation."
Charity, the bond of perfednels, was J//-
ilas'^ pretence, when he objeded again ft
the wafte of precious ointment on his
Lord ;but the truth of the cafe was^rhathe
wanted to have it " fold for more than three
hundred pence," and the money put into
the hag which he carried, being a Thief,
It is not he, who pretends to have the
greatcft abhorrence of difhonclly and kjia-
rery, that is the freeft from them in his
commerce and intcrcourfc with mankind.
Nay ; the moft wicked and treacherous
defigns are often carried on under the ap-
pearance of friendfnip : Which long fmce
gave occafion to that obfervation of So-
lomon^ that " the killes of an enemy arc
deceitful " : And this w^as remarkably ex-
emplified, when the Son of man himfclf
was *' betrayed with a kifs." The moft
folemn promifes and engagements offer-
vice, and friendlhip, are often lb far from
being ftrong enougli to hold him that
makes ihem, that they are made by him,
with a formal intent to break them ; and
to do fome greater injury to the perfon
who relies on them, than could have been
done without them. In fhort, there is no
mail, wlio has a mind to deceive, that
cannot find many ways of doing it, unlefs
he ii a fool as ^vell as a knave. Reli«;ion
itfclf,
of the Hearty &c- 3^3
itfelf is, perhaps, oftcner made a clokc for Serm.
wickednefs, than any one thing. Tho' XL
all men who appear religious, are not de-
ligning hypocrites ; yet " gravity is of the
very effencc of impollurc. " And many
perfons,by an affeded gravity, by a ferious
kind of grimace, by a pretended fcrupulo-
fity about fome trivial things, by a fhew
of zeal, and a feries of religious tricks and
artifices, have cheated the w^orld into ai;
high opinion of their fandity, without
having one fingle virtue. And it is to be
obferved, that people fometimes put on
this malk of religion, with a formal de-
fign to impofc upon the world ; that they
may indulge their vices, and injure their
neighbours without being fufpeded of do-
ing it, or in danger of deteftion. There
have been fo many known examples of this
grofs hypocrify, that we can have no cer-
tain, infallible dependence upon any man.
Thofe, of v/hom we have had experience
for many years, fometim.es turn out to be
the reverfe of what we took them to be :
And we do not know, but others may do
the like hereafter ; fmce we cannot know
the heart : So deceitful is it, fo defperately
luickcd !
Our bleffed Saviour has given us the
fureft criterion, the moft infallible rule,
that we can go by, in forming Qiu- judg--
B b 3 meat
374- On the Deceit fulnefs
merit about men and characters: " By their
fruits ye fhall know them.'' And by at-
tending to this, wc may fometimes diico-
ver thofe to be inwardly ravening ii'ohes,
who come to us, and live amongll us, in
JJjeeps cloa thing. But even this rule is, in
one fcnfe, infufficient ; becaufe no rule
Can malvC Us infalUble in the application
of it. It is much eafier for us to know
who are, and muft be, wicked men, than
to know who are certainly good. The
former is, in fome cafes, poUible : Since
he that is vifibly immoral, impious and
flagitious in the courfc of his life, cannot
poffibly be good in his heart. But on the
other hand, he, whofe behaviour is, to all
human appearance, the molt pious and
unexceptionable, may yet poflibly not be
good : He may fin where he ought to
pray, /;; fccret : He may be habitually
guilty of many vices, which fhun the
obfervation of the world. In AA'hich cafe,
his heart is certainly bad : Yea,his actions,
which appear tlie molt fpecious and com-
mendable to us, may fpring from fuch
principles as would rather denominate
them vicious, than virtuous, in the eye
of One who could penetrate to the fource,
and bottom of them. Were not even the
prayers of the Thanjccs wicked and im-
piouSjWhcn made f^r a pretence ? and that
they
of the Hearty &e> 375
they might devour wldoius houfes f Such Serm.
fufpicions are not, indeed, to be indulged XL
with refpeft to our neighbours, while their
behaviour is vihbly good and blamelefa •
But as this may polhbly be the cafe, tKe
mentioning; hereof, tends to illuftrate and
confirm what is faid in my text, concern-
ing the deceitfulnefs of the heart ; and
• the impollibility of our coming to a per-
feci knowledge? of it. But
2diy. It is now time to conlider the de-
ceitfulnefs of the heart, in the other point
of light propofed, viz, with relation to a
man's Jclf, There is fuch a thing as a
deceived heart, an heart which deceives,
and impofes upon, itfeif) as well as, an
heart which is deceitful and difhoneft with
relation to others. There are many per-
fons, to whom thofe words of the prophet
are applicable^ "A deceived heart hath
turned him afide. " * This is a character * ^^- 44-
which we often meet with. Nor is the ^^'
fcripture-nocion of hypocrify, only this,
that a man fometimcs puts on the fliew or
appearance of religion and virtue, on pur-
pofe to delude his neiglxbours. This hy-
pocrify is of the grofTcil kind. Every fuch
man muft be confcious to himfclf, that he
is only acting a part. But there is a more
flibtile and refined kind of deceit, where-
by a man deludes even himfelf, while he
B b 4 is
On the Deceit fiilnefs
is not fcnfiblc that he is dcludinir other*?,
nor has any formal intention to do lb.
That wc are thus in danger of delufiou
from within, from ourfeh es, is plainly
implied in all thofe padages of fcfiptiire,
•where we are admonifhcd not to deceive
our oiviifehes ; to /ry, to -prove ^ to exatninc
ourfclves, and the like. And the felf-de-
ceit, which we are thus warned to guard
againil, is, I fuppoic, what the fcripture
more generally intends by hypocrify, than
it does the grofs kind mentioned before.
This will, probably, found like a pa-
radox to many, For it may be alked,
*' What we are fo intimately acquainted
" with, as with ourlclves ? Do we not
know what paffes within us ? our own
thoughts, and defigns ? the principles
and motives upon which we act ? Is it
not a contradiftion to fuppofe, that we
*' can be ignorant of thefe ; or deceived
*' about them ? So that it is io far from
*' being difficult for any man to know his
*' heart, that it is impoffible for him not
*' to know it."
But let us proceed deliberately here.
Do you know your heart, in the fenfe of
an Anatom'iji^ when he talks about the
heart, becaufe you are confcious of your
own thouglirs, defnes, volitions, ci?v \
You will anfwer, No : this is quite ano-
ther
of the Hearty &c. 377
ther thing : You muft fee a human body Serm.
opened, the heart differed, and view XL
every part of it carefully, before you can ^— -v*-*
know the heart in this fenfe. Very juft.
Well : You do not any more truly know
your heart, in the raoralj fcripttiral and re-
ligious fenfe of the term, merely by being
confcious of your own thoughts, volitions,
eS-*c. than you know it in the anatomical
fenfe : But in order hereto you muft, if
I may ufe the expreffion, fee the Jonl dlf-
feBed ; and examine the parts, or feveral
powers, faculties and operations of it
diftinftly ; compare them together, and
the whole, with the rule of moral right.
Without this, you may be intirely igno-
rant of your hearts, or be deceived as to
your own true charader and temper ; not
knozaing zuhat manner of fpirit you are of ^ * * ^^*' 9-
however confcious you may be of your ^
own thoughts, defuses, volitions, aftions.
Is it not probable \ is it not certain, that
many perfons have been miftaken as to
their own moral and religious charafter ;
thinking themfelves good and upright
men, when they were the reverfe hereof \
Is is not probable that many of the Tha-
r//^^jof old, and many other perfons in
later times, were, and are, thus miftaken
in themfelves ; thinking their chararter
good and honeft, tho' really bad and dif-
honeft.
37^ On the Deccitfidnefs
Serm. honeft, at the bottom r This will not he
XI. denied. Certainly then, there is fuch a
^■"""^^ ' thing as difhonelly of heart, which a map
is inlenfible of ; fuch a thing as felf-deceit ;
fuch a thing as a man's impofing upon,
and cheating hirnfelf, in fome way or o-
thcr ; and doing it fo artfully, that he docs
not Hand convicted and condemned of
hirnfelf, afterwards : He is hardened thro the
dticitfulnefs of fin ^ even wliile he cries,
** The temple of the Lord^ the temple of
the Lord ;" and actually thinks he has
a right to fay to others, as thofe hy-
pocrites in Ifa'iah did — " Stand by thyfelf,
' come not near to me, for I am holier
•Chap.6; '■ than thou." *
To lay open this Wi^iole viyjlcry of ini-
qnitj, which has already worked, and,
probably. Hill works, in io many perfons,
would require much more time than there
is for it at prefent. Notliing more is,
therefore, to be now expefted, tlian fome
general hints — It is all to be deduced from,
as it may all be refolved into, two Avell-
known principles or afiedions in human
nature : I mean a fenfe of moral obliga-
tion and religion, which all men have in
fome degree, fo that they cannot but wifli
to die the death of the righteous ; and a love
to this prefent world, lb that they arc de-
firous to enjoy tlie gains, the honors, the
plcafurcs
vcr.
of the Hearty Sec. 379
pleafures of it. Thefe principles, inma-SERM,
ny cafes at leaft, interfere with each o- XL
ther ; and fo there arifes a flrife and con- ' — ^
tell betwixt them, for the dominion and
fovereignty, the flefh litjiing agahfl the jp-
rit^ and the fpirit ogainft theflejio ; which
iivo being contrary the one to the other^ a
man cannot do the things i.vh'ich he would. * *Cair
He would be rehgious, and yet gratify his
w^orldly kifts and paffions : He would
ferve two jnajlers, both God and Mammon :
He would unite thofe things, which can-
not really be united : He will not re-
nounce all pretenfions to religion and vir-
tue, for the fake of the world ; nor yet
wdll he renounce the world for the fake of
religion and viitue : He would make the
profecution of both confifl together ; and
be under the joint fway of two Lords ;
which, in this cafe, is impoffible : No
fuch compoiition can be made.
But tho' this is evidently the cafe ; yet
what is this to the deceitfulnefs of the
heart ? to hypocrify ? to felf-deception ?
You will prefcutly fee. Every man muft
be the fervant either of God, or of the
w^orld : He muft be either good or bad :
He muft have a certain, determinate In-
ter na I chara^ler. But thofe whofe charac-
ter is really bad and vicious, are not will-
ing to fee and know it. They could not
but
380 0?i the Deceitfulncfs
Serm, but be more difTutisfied with themfelves, if
XI. they thoroughly kucwthemjehcs. Hence,
they open their intelledual eye but half-
way, fquint, Avink hard, look alkaunce,
take only fide-glances,andufe a magnifying
glals, ifl may fo exprcfsit,\vhen they take
a view of any thing which they imagine
commendable in themfelves, turning the
other end of it, W'hen they look upon
their faults. The heart plays fuch jugg-
ling, legerdemain tricks with itfelf ! Men
that are void of fairnefs and probity of
mind, evidently put deceptions upon
themfelves, in various ways ; infenfibly
flattering themfelves, that they are certain-
ly and truly good, and upright, while they
certainly are not ; but live in the prac-
tice of fla^raiu immoralities, which everv
one almoft, except themfelves, fees plainly
enough. So deceitful are men, even with
regard to themfelves ! And the clue
mentioned, if purfued, would lead us
thro' all the doublings, and labyrinths
of a difhoneft heart ; that den of brutal
lufts and paffions ; that cage of unclean birds ;
that dark vault, which is full of dead men s
hones and of all uncleannefs, tho the ?nonumcnt
over it may appear white and beautiful.
The principle of confcience fomctimes
operates fo ftrongly in a man, that he
cannot go dircdly counter to it, with his
eyea
of the Hearty Sec. 381
eyes wide open : And yet the worldly Serm.
and vicious principle is fo much ftronger, XL
that he miift obey the latter, and ttiWfeem '
to himfelf to be religious ; or, at leafl:,^
not very vicious. Hence fuch a man will
have numerous evafions and palliations,
by the help of which he will juftify him-
felf, to himfelf, in his evil praftices. He
can make human frailty, perhaps, a falvo
for almoft any thing : '' His faith is quite
orthodox, fo that he abhors the very
name of ylrminianifm : The temptation is
great; and the Devil is a powerful, fubtle
advcrfiry : Or every thing muft be refol-
ved into the over-ruling providence of
God : Who is there that is wholly free
from fin P Even good men, formerly, were
fometimes guilty of greater fins than his^
he fuppofes : He is, befides, punctual in
the performance of fome duties ; none of
the external ordinances of religion are
neglected by him : Or he often gives
alms to the nccellitous : And cbaritji, he
reads, will cover a multitude of Sins : Or, if
that will not, certainly the righteoufnefs
of Chrill: w^ill : This or that precept of
the gofpel, he thinks, needs not be fo
rigoroufly interpreted, fince we are un-
der grace, not the law : Altho' fuch and
iiich things would be criminal in other
circumftances ; yet this cafe is peculiar,
and.
82 On the Deceitfulnefs
and the general rule does not extend to it.**
By fi-ich lubterfuge3 and tergiverfations ;
by fuch twillings and ferpentine windings,
a man that is not truly upright, will often
evade thofe religious and moral obliga-
tions, which every honelt, good man, fees
and feels, and is influenced by : To him,
darknefs will be light, and light darknefs ;
bitter will be fweet, and Iweet bitter ;
evil good, and good evil. He will pacify
his confcience \o far, that he will not
much cenfure himfelf, if at all, for the
greatelt immoralities and impieties. Yea,
he will think he is doing God fervicCy by
flieddinp; the blood of his faints : He
will, perhaps, vent his unholy pride, his
fpleen and malice againft man, even in
l^is prayers to God ; condemning, and en-
deavouring to expofe another, as an here-
tick, an hypocrite, and a wicked man ;
thinking that; this is all true Zeal for God
and pure religion — So when the Thanjec
ScTublican went up into the temple to pray,
the former faid, God, I. thank thee, that I am
not as other men, — or even as this publican.^
Poor man ! He was full of arrogance, fpi-
ritual pride, and cenforioufnefs, while he
was accufmg his brother to the Father, as a
gracelefs hypocrite; and blefling both God
and himfelf, that he was not as other men.
Thus will thofe, who are not thoroughly
lioneft
of the Hearty &c. 383
honcft at the bottom, deceive their ownfelves : Se RM«
Tlius will they behold, or think they be- • XI.
hold, a mote in their brotlier's eye- ; and
yet not fee the beam that is in their own :
They would not do thus, were they not
Jivpocrites ; if they had a/ing/e eye, inftead
of an evil one : For honcily as well as
charity, begins at home. Under a fpecious
ihew of fanftity, and zeal for God and re-
ligion, there often lurks a corrupt, phari-
faical heart ; but yet fo difguifed, that the
unhappy owner of it does not know it.
So deceitful is the heart I fo defperately
vjicked !
The hypocrify here fpoken of, is ef-
fentially different from that, which con-
iifts in putting on the garb and form of
Godlinefs, with a premeditated defign to
impofe upon, and to delude, others. — -
When a man does thus, he muft be con-
fcious to himfelf, that he is a deceiver and
impoftor : But this other kind of hypocri-
fy, confifts in felf-deception ; in a man's
accounting his vices, no vices ; his ima-
ginary, counterfeit virtues, fterling and
genuine ; and fo in miflaking his own
moral and religious character. However,
the former kind of hypocrify, it is proba-
ble, often ends in the latter, being quite
fwallo wed up and abforbed therein : I mean
that men who, at firft, put on the mafk
of
384 On the Deceitfulnefs
of virtue and religion chiefly for the fake
^ of circei^'in^T others, wear it 'till they come,
by degrees, to think it is not a mafk at all,
but true religion : So that they are at
length as much deceived in themfelves, as
others were miftaken in them before.
This may be illuftrated by that which
I take to be a juft, as well as common ob-
fervation, viz. That men fometimes invent
lies and flanders, and propagate thein at
firfl, knowing them to be fuch ; but hav-
ing long repeated them, they themfelves
come at laft to think them real truths, and
propagate them afterwards as fuch !
This kind of hypocrify, when it has
taken deep pofTeflion.and ftrong hold of a
man, renders him almoft proof againft
convi(^lion ; fo that his cafe is really more
defperate than that of people, who hardly
make any pretenfions to virtue and reli-
gion. Perfons,being thus intrenched and
fortified, thofe fpiritual Aveapons which
are mighty thro' God to the pulling down
of ftrong holds in other men, are ufed to
little purpofe, in order to the battering
down their high-towering imaginations ;
and bringing into captivity every thcvght to the
obedience cfChriJl. * You can much eafier
come at thofe, who live profligate lives,
without making any fliew or pretence of
being religious, than at thcfe fe!f-flatterers,
and,
10
tf the Hearty &c. 385
and felf-deceivers : Which is the true Serm.
ground of thofe remarkable words of our XL
Saviour to the " Chief Priests," in the '
temple—'' I fay unto you, that the fithli"
" cans and the harlots go into the kingdom
" of God before Ton, X' \Math.?K
Hypocrites, in the fcripture fenfe of sico^^r-'-
the word,not only deceive their neighbours ^^^^^ .-'^'
and themlelvcs ; but they, at leaft con-
ftniftively, and by natural implication,
endeavour to deceive and mock God ; to
palm upon Him their counterfeit reHgion
and virtue, for true ; and to conceal from
Him their real wickednefs. In the lan-
guage of the Prophet, they " feekdeep
" to hide their counfel from the Lord,and
" their works are in the dark \ and they
" fay, Who feeth us I and who knoweth
" us \ " But " wo unto them ! " * For the
Lord fearcheth the heart. Which brings
us to the fecond general head of difcourfe
propofed. Viz,
Secondly, To confider what is im-
plied in God's fearching the hearty and try-
ing the reins : Upon which point I need
not be long. This is fpoken after the
manner of men. Searching and trying,
when applied to creatures, fuppofes fome
difliculty in the cafe ; and being literally
vmderftood, it connotes imperfection j
which certainly mufl be no part of the
C G idea
JJai
I':
86 0 TV the Deceit fulmfs
idea when thefe terms i^rc ufed \\'ith rela*
tion to Him that is '* perfert in know-
ledge ;" and bf whom '' anions are
** weighed/* The ll-nie in general is, that
however deceitful men's hearts are ; Jiow-
cvcr diflicuk or impoffible it is for Us ex-
affly to know either the heaits of others, or
even our own ; yet God Ivas themoft tho-
rough, immediate, and perfeft knowledge
of them. However we need not fci'uple to
ufe the phrafeology of fcripture, with re-
ference to this point, or any other — It
would be net:dlefs, and in vain, not to fay
prefumptuous and impious, for us to fcru-
tinize into the rna^incr, in which God
knows our hearts, or knows anv thing
elfe. " There is no fcarching of His un-
ifa. 40. dcrftanding," '^ who fearchcth our hearts,
2^- which we cannot perfectly underftand
ourfelves. It- fufliceth, (or, at leall it ought
to fuffice Us, fhort-fighted moitals) that
both reafon and fcripture evince, that the
great Author of all things can be ignorant
of nothing; not even of our ..hearts, our
moft fecret tho'ts, counfek, defires and
purpofes ; or the internal frame, tem-
per, and operations of our fouls, " Neither
*^ is tliere anv creature that is not mani-
'' fefl: in his fight ; but all things are na-
*' ked, and opened unto the eyes of Him,
with whom wc have to do ;" f to whom
r Tnujl givf an account. God
u
of the Hearty &c. 387
God judges of men's chambers, not by Serm.
outward appearances, but by their hearts ; XL
His eye penetrates into the moft fecret re-
ceiTes of our Ibuls ; and therefore His
"judgment is according to tmth." He
takes cognizance of our hearts in all we
do. When we come before him to ferve
him, and " fit before him as his people fit-
teth,'* he oblcrves whether we do it in fin-
cerity and devotion, or whether our hearts
are ilill *' far from him. '' When we
pray to, or praiie him, he obferves whe-
ther we worfhip him " in fpirit and in
truth," or for a pretence only ; and that we
may get leave of our confcicnces to in-
dulge our lufls. When we impart of our
temporal fubftance to the neceffitous, he
obferves whether this is done in chriftian
charity, and finglenefs of heart, or that
we " may be feen of men. " Whatever
good things w^e do, and whatever lins we
abftain from, he obferves whether we do
thu^ from a fenfe of duty, and a regard
to his authority, or merely from fome
prudential and worldly confiderations.
He difcriminates exactly betwixt the in-
ward charad:ers of all men ; knowing
who are truly good and upright, notwith-
ftanding their numerous imperfeflions and
fellings ; arid who are at the bottom
ftill vicious, notwithftanding fome things
C c s wliich
On the Dcceitfuhiefs
which may appear good and commenda-
ble iji them.
Nor does I'uch a perfeft knowledge of
our hearts, as is here intended, only im-
ply in general, that God diitinguilhes be-
tween good men and bad ; but alio that
he oblerves in wliat dci^ree either of thefc
characters belongs to us ; what enhances
the guilt of fonie ; wdiat lelTcns that of
others ; what exalts and enoblcs our vir-
-tues ,; what tarnilhcs and fullies them.
It taj-ther implies, that God ices oiir good
and bad purpofes, whether w^e have ever
an opportunity to put them in execution
or not. On one hand, he takes notice if
there be a ivilling minJ, altho' a man has
it not in his power to do according to his
wifhes. On tlie other hand, he lees our
evil devices, purpofes and inclinations,
altho' they never become efTect. In line
here, when God is laid to fearch our
hearts, and try our reins, the meaning is,
that none of thofe artitices and difguifcs
which men ufe, in order to impolc upon
one another ; nor any of thofe deceits and
delufions, which they fometimes put c-
ven upon themfelves, can in the leafl:
degree conceal their true chararter from
almiglity God. The *' Father of Spirits"
immediately infperts our Ibuls ; penetrates
to the bottom of them ; and traces them
tl^ro'
of the Hearty &c, 389
thro' air thofe labyrinths, and doublings, Serm.
and dark -paths ^ which neither our own, XI.
nor the vuliures eye hathfeen,\ — " O Lord! "^TT^f^
^' thou haft learched mc, and known me.
" Thou knowcft my down-iltcing, and
*• up-riling ; thou underftandell my tho't
^' afar oft^. Thou compalTcft my path,
" and lying dow^n, and art acquainted
*^ wdth all my ways. For there is not a
" word in my tongue, but lo, O Lord,
" thou knoweft it altogether. Thou
" haft befet me behind and before. ■■
*^ Whither fliall I go from thy Spirit ? or
^' whither fhall I flee from thy preknce i
" — If I fay, Surely the darkneis fhall co-
*^ ver me ; even the night fliall be Ught
" about me. Yea, the darknefs hideth
" not from thee ; but the night fliineth
" as the day. The darknefs and the light
" are both alike to thee : For thou haft
" poirelTed my reins.'* f— But let us pro- +P>/.' >9
ceed
1,—
3^'y. npQ confider the end for w^hich
God thus fearcheth our hearts^ and trieth
our reiris. Namely, To give every raan ac^
cording to his wars, and according to the
fruit of his doings. This is ftill fpeak-
ing after the manner of men. God is
neceffarily omnifcient, and therefore can-
not but know our heaits. However,
He is here reprefented as fearching
C c 3 them;
3 go On the. Deceiifulnefs
Srrm. them with" a particular defigii ancf inten-
XI. tion : Which manner of I'peaking, when
' ufed with regard to men, implies fome-
what voluntary, as oppofed to that which
is necelTary — But we may keep to the
language of fcripture, notwithlfanding ;
always remembring, it is not an imperfect,
but a perfe(^l Being, that is fpoken of.
We are to conlider God, not as a curious
Speftator, taking notice of our ways and
hearts for his amufemcnt ; but as the
fovereign Lord and Judge of men ; the
gracious Rewarder of the good and up-
right, and the juft Punifher of the wicked
and deceitful man. This mighty " Judge
of all the earth, will do right ; " finally
rendering to every man that which is
fitting and proper, whether it be good or
evil ; and this, in due meafure and pro-
portion. He who has done every thing
elfe by rule ; He that has adapted one
thing to another in the vifible world, with
the greateft wifdom and cxadncfs ; He
that has not only " weighed the moun-
tains infcales^ and the hills in a ballance' ;
He that has not only " numbered the liars,
calling them all by their names,'' and
" vieted out the heavens with his /pan ;"
but alio " numbered the very hairs of our
lieads," the f-inds upon the fea-fhore, and
the drops in the ocean ; He that has ad-
juftcd
of the Hearty &c. 39;
jufted and proportioned all " things in the Serm,
natural world, I lay, with thcr utmoft XL
care and cxacbicfs, from whence there * — ^"^
refults Inch an aitonilhing order, beauty
and harmony ; This molt glorioits Being
cannot, furely, be lefs exacl in what-
ever relates to the intellectual and moral
world, for the fake of which alone, the
other was created. Happinefs and mifery
will eventually be dealt out by Him to
thofe, to whom they refpeclively belong ;
and this in exa^ft w^eight, meafure and «.
proportion, according to ez^ery ma;is ivays^
and according to the fruit of his doings ; in a
manner befitting the great Author, the all-
powerful, all-wife, all-juft, all-good and
merciful Governor of the world.
Nor could He do what is right, fit and
equal, in this fenfe, unlefs he fearched our
hearts^ and tried our reins, Tliis is necef-
fary for a moral Governor ; in order to a
proper diftribution of rewards and punifh-
ments, happinefs and mifery. The know-
ledge of our words and external actions
only, w^ould not (if I may ufe fuch an
expreflion concerning God) qualify him to
judge the world ; and to render to moral,
religious creatures, that which is right anct
fitting. For the goodnefs or badnefs of a
moral and religious creature, fuch as man,
evidently depends, in a great aacafure, if
C c 4 not
On the Deceitfulmfs
c
oFRM. not wholly, upon the internal frame and
XL temper, the turn and difpofition of his
heart. The love of Goodnefs is plainlv
elfential to a good character : So that rf
ive could, any ways, certainly know,
That that man, whole moral and religious
conducl, externally confidcred, is blamc-
lefs and good, (fuch as it ought to be) had
yet no regard to religion and \ irtue in his
heart, no fnicerity or uprightnefs, but
*vvas only acting a part ; fliould not we
ourfelves be far from looking upon his
charafter as good, in the fcnlc now in-
tended ? Sliould we account any one a
pious man, bccaufe he often faid his pray-
ers, if we knew him to be an Athcift in
his heart ? or only knew, that lie had no
love and reverence for that God, to whom
he prayed ? Should we account any one
a true chriftian, becaufe he *' named the
name of Chrift," if we knew that he did
not believe in him ? that he did not refpert
and honor him : Should we think any one
truly charitable, becaufe he " gave his
goods to feed the poor, " if we knew that
he had no fixed principle of benevolence in
him ; but " did alms to be 'iccw of men .^'*
Should we think any one temperate and
fober, in the moral and religious fenfe,
becaufe he abflained from afts of intern-
perance, if we know that this proceeded
folelv
of the Hearty &c. . 393
folely from a regard to his health and re- Serm.
putation? Certainly we fliould not. Well ; XL
this may all be true with refpecl to fome
perfons, altho' wc do not know it to be
lb. Yea, Ibme pares, at lead, of this
good behaviour externally confidered,
may proceed from a bad principle ; from
fonic linilrer, vicious dcfign. For a man
may " bring even his pra3^ers to God
" with a wicked mind.'* How then muit
fuch a man's character Hand in the eye of
Omnifcicnce ? Or how could God " give
every man according to his ways, ana ac-
cording to the fruit of his doings ;" if he
did not '* fearch the heart, and try the
reins ?" Under a perfect moral govern-
ment, muil not \\\Qjdeart be the ftandard
of the man ; fo that he fliall be rewarded
or puniflicd according as that is good or
bad ? upright or deceitful ? and in pro-
portion as it is cither ? No aftions can be
deemed good, under fuch a government,
any farther than there is an honeft, good
temper within, which correfponds to
them : Nothing truly bad and culpable,
any farther than there is lomcwhat wrong
and vicious in the heart. We fhould ne-
ver have tho't of fettling and determining
the moral and religious characters of men,
by their outward conduft, had it not been
for our own ueceflary impcrfcdion ; be-
caufe
394 ^^ ^'^^ Deceitfuhiefs
Serm. caufe we cannot fee the heart, we muft
XI. judge by the outward appearance. This
' is the bell: rule for us to judge by ; the ap-
pearance being a probable ijidication, the'
not an infalhble one hi all calls, of the
internal, real charader. But a perfed,
all-knowing Being, ftands in no need of
ilich a clue : He looketh directly at the
heart : There he fceth tlie character as it
really is ; and he will give every man ac-
cording to his own, whatever it be.
For the farther illuftration of what is
here intended, let us ilippofe a peribn
born with fuch namral infirmities, or
placed in fuch difadvantageous circum-
Itances, that he could perform none of
thofc adions which the world ufuaily calls
good and virtuous. This pcrfon might,
neverthelefs, be bleffed with a pious and
virtuous mind, a good and upright heart ;
Would he not, then, be one of a pious
and good character, and as rewardable
under a righteous moral government, as
if he had been in a capacity to " bring
forth good things, out of the good trea-
fure of his heart ? " Or will vou fav, his
characler is vicious, and that he is of ill
defer t, merely becaufe he does not per*
form thofe good works which others do .^
and which he himfelf would perform,
were it in liis power ! Suppofc another
pcrfon
of the Hearty &c. 395
perfon labouring under the like infirmities Serm.
a-nd difadvantages ; {o that he has never XI.
had it in his power to do any harm ; to
do any one action which the world calls :
impious or immoral. This perfon might,
neverthelefs, have an impious, malicious
turn of mind ; his heart might be full of
envy and malice ; he might have an in-
inclination to do the evil wdiich he can-
not. Is not his characler, then, bad and\
vicious ; fothat he as truly defer ves punifh-
ment, from a perfeft moral Governor, as if
he had been externally vicious \ Certainly
he does. Thele luppofitions are made on-
ly to fhow, that a man's charafter, is really
good or bad only in proportion as his
heart is fo;and that it mull finally be well
or ill with him accordingly. And other-
wife there would be no need of God's
fearching the hearty in order to his giving
every ?nan according to his ways. For this
he might do without knowing the heart,
if external adions made the character;
and men were no farther cither rewardable
or punifhable, than they are outwardly
virtuous or vicious. Why need the heart
itfelf be fearched, unlefs the heart itfelf ii\
to be " brought into judgment,with every
" fecret thing ? "
This is evidently the doftrine of the
gofpel, and, I think, the didate of reafon
alfo.
^
96 On the Deceitfulmfs
Serm. alfo. Upon an}^ other fuppolition, uhat
XI. ^ will 3^011 make of St. TcmH doctrine, ^h-at
M a man give all his goods to feed the poor ^
and his kodj to he hvinied, and have not charity y
he is nothing- F What ^^■ill you make of St.
John's dodrinc, that who^/o hateth his brother
is a murderer ? What Avill you make of
our Saviour's own dodrine — He that look-
eth — hath committed adultery — already in his
heart ? Apply what is ftid in thefe pafTages,-
to all other inftances of virtue and vice,
and it will hold equally true. What-
ever good deeds a man docs ; yet if he
has not a correfponding good temper, he
is nothing: Whatever fins and lufts a man's
heart is fet upon, of thofe he is guilty in
the fight of Him, who looketh at the hearty
and will give to every man according to
what he fees therein, I fhall juft add here,
that it may be taken for granted, every
man is internally vicious, at leaft in
the fame degree that he is externally fo.
But it cannot be fuppofed, on the other
hand, that every man is internally good-
and pious, in the fame proportion that he^
feemeth to be lb, for this plain reafon ;''
Becaufe, were this faft, there could be no
fuch thing as hypocrily, or deccitfulnefs
of heart ; as there manifcltly is, in that
twofold fcnfe wjiich has been confide-
red.
Upon
of the Hearty &c. ^ 397
Upon the whole : We are aiTared that Serm.
God " hath appointed a day, wherein he ^ ^^
will judge the world in righteoufnefs, by ' "
that man, whom he hath ordained. " In
that day the fecrcts of all hearts, which
are not even now fecrets to our Maker,
will be difclofcd to all : And it (hall fare
with men according to their real goodnefs
or badneis, their internal charader. It is
indeed, often faid in the holy fcriptnres.
That men fliall be " judged according to
their works; " " according to their deeds;''
according to " the things done in the bo-
dy. " Bat it is fo exprelled, upon a pre-
fumption that men's hearts correfpond to
their works ; or, vice verfh^ their works
to tlieir hearts : Which, in general, may
be taken for granted, notwithftanding any
thing that has been laid in- this difcourfe.
But there are manifcllly fome exceptions :
And it is equally manifeft, that in thofe
cafes where there is not fuch a correfpon-
dence betwixt men's hearts and their
deeds, a man's heart, not his deeds, is
what muft be regarded by the righteous
Judge of all. All men fhall be dealt with,
according to what they really are in the
elHmation of the all-knowing, all-juft and
good Governor of the world ; not accor-
ding to outward appearances, or the falfe
judgments which any form either of
themfclves or others. The.
398 On the Decchfulnefs
The reflexions which, I fuppofe, na-
turally ariie out of this lubject:, arc fuch
as follow.
We are hereby cautioned not to place
any undue truft or confidence in men ;
but to exercife a degree of warinefs and
circumfpeclion in all our intercourfe with
them. " It is better to truil in the Lord
" than to put confidence in man : It is
" better to trull in the Lord than to
" put confidence in princes." Common
frudence, which ought to be reckoned
among the virtues, requires this caution
and circumfpedion ; fmce men may be
very different from what they appear to
be. " Counfel in the heart of man is like
" deep water ; but a man of underitanding
"will draw it out. Moft men will pro-
^Prov.iQ. " claim every one his own goodnefs ; but
^' " a faithful man who can find ! " "^ Thus
feid the wifeft, if not the bell of men. A
diftruft of our fellow-men may, indeed,
be carried to an extreme : ( Which is
ijloft frequ(^ntly done by men that are
tiiemfelves deflitute of honor, honelly and
virtue :) Without a confiderable degree of
mutual trull, faith and confidence, it is
manifeft that there can fcarce be any fuch
thing as focial happinefs, and a friendly,
f^reable intercourfe with our neighbour.
Aftd a good iinaa would rather flrain a
pointy
tf the Hearty &cc. 399
point, hope all things^ and expbfe himfelf Serm^
to Ibmc difedvantages and impofitions, XI.
than, by an univcrial diilruft and fufpicion
of others, cut himfelf off from the fatis-
fadion of thinking he is converfmg with
thofe that are as upright as himfelf. It is
to be added, that the daily commerce,
and various affairs of the world, could
not be carried on in a manner the mod
beneficial to the Whole, were jealoufy,
and diffidence of man to man, univerfally
to take place. The prefent ftate of man-
kind, however imperfect, plainly requires
fome degree of mutual faith and depen-
dence. However, there is, in fome fenfe,
an extreme even in virtue. Intire, unre-
ferved confidence is to be placed in God
alone : And thofe who place it indifcrimi-
nately in others, may poffibly have reafon
to lament their eafy credulity ; and expe-
rience the truth of the prophet's words — .
Cttrfed is the man that trujieth in man.
But fince men's hearts are, in fome
fenfe, treacherous and deceitful even with
regard to themfelves ; we are hereby ad-
monifhed to examine our own ; to fcruti-
nize them w^ith the utmoft care, and to
keep them with all diligence: For out of them
are the ijfues both of life and death. Solo-
mon tells us, that " he that trufteth his
own heart is a fool.-* His meaning is, that
fince-
4-00 On the Deceitftdnefs
fiiice thei'e is great deccitfulnefs in the
hearts of wicked men, and a degree of it
in the hearts of all men, it is folly in any
One to be imfufpicious, or not jealous,
concerning the integrity of his oiu.n, A
truly \yife man will be, in fome degree,
faithlefsand unbelieving towards his own
heart. But you will lay, perhaps, " My
" heart is good and honeft : Why, then,
" fhouki I be {o injurious as to diihaft
" it ? " It is fue, your heart viay be good
and honell ; but how do you know it is
fo, unlcfs you have examined it ? unlds
you have put it to the que ft ion ? unlefs you
have tryed how it will bear the torture of
being fevered from the world ? unlefs you
have denied yourfelf as to thofe fins and
lufts, which moit eafily befet you \ unlcfs
you have taken up your crofs,and follow-
ed your Saviour I This is the tell of au
honeft heart. And if you have never done
thus ; if you have never diftruftcd your-
felves, nor do fo at prefent, it is almoft a
demonftration tliat you are one of thofe
nnwtfe men, of whom Solornon ipeaks ; and
tliat, however charitable you may be to-
wards your own heart, it is ftill deceitful
above all things, anddejperately luickecL Some
other pcrfons, you allow, are miftaken in
thinking their hearts good and upright,
while they are not :. Mt^y not this poffibly
be your own cafe ^ — But
of the Heart, &C. 40 1
But whatever forrie perfons may think, Serm.
it would be a great abufe of this fcrip- ^I-
ture-dodrine, That the heart is deceitful, ^ ' "^
to infer from it, that a man, by felf-ex-
amination, by attending to the operations
of his heart, and brijiging it to the teft of
fcripture and reafon, under that influence
of the good Spirit of God, which is com-
mon to all men, cannot come to a fcrip*
tural, rational, and fatisfadory determi-
nation (Tonccrning his own heart, whether
it be good or bad. The pofTibility of
this, in the way of rational dedudion and
inference, ( to fay nothing of the Witnefs
gf the Spirit ) is plainly prefuppofed in all
thofe pafTages, where we are admonifhed
to prove and examine ouffelves to thi3
end, that w^e may know ourfelves : Par-
ticularly in thofe w^ords of the Apoftle,
•' Examine yourfelves, whether ye be ia
" the faith } prove your own felves.
•'* Ktiow yc not your own felveSy how that
'* Jefus Chrift is in you, except ye be re-
" probates?!'' What propriety ? what ±^5^ j.
fenfe would there be, in this exhorta- 15.
tion, unlefs profefled chriftian$ in general
mighti by exercifing due care, come to a
rational, fatisfadory, and fcriptural deter*
jnination, concerning their own proper
charaftef ? It is to be farther obferved,
That '• truth, and real good fenfe, and
D d thorough
402 On the Deceitfulnefs
thorough integrity, can y along with
them a peculiar confcioulhefs of their
own genuinenefs : There is a feeling
" belonging to them, whicli does not ac-
" company their counterfeits, error, folly,
" half-honelly, partial and Ihght regards
" to virtue and right, fo far as they are
" confiftent w ith that couife of gratifica-
" tion which men happen to be fet up-
" on. " * A truly honeft, good man,
either muft, or may if he pleaTes, and
provided time and opportunhy are allow-
ed him, fatisfadorily know his own heart ;
he may know his own religious charac-
ter fo far, at leaft, that anxiety and fear
fhall be cajl out. And may not a wdcked
man know, if he will, that he is really fo,
with equal certainty ? He may : He is un-
•der no necejpty of diflioneftly clofing his
eyes, any more than a good man ; tho*
he may be more inclined to do it. There
is no difputing fa^^ls ; many wicked men
have actually feen themfelves to be really
fuch — Since then both are poffible, it high-
ly concerns us all to prove, to examine,
and know our ownfclves : For whether we
<3o fo or not, there is Another who
^* fearcheth our hearts, and tryeth our
^ reins, c\'en to give every man accord-
" ing
• Blihop Sut/ir's Sermon on 2 S^rf. 12. 7-
^f the Hearty &c* .4^3
** ing to his ways, and according to the Serai,
** fruit of his goings." XI.
Ther£ are none, perhaps, who have
more reafon to be fulpicious of themfelves,
than your, hot rehgious zealots ; the great
Jfticklers for wdiat they call orthodoxy,
whether juflly, or iinjuftly, it now mat-
ters not. You will fometimes fee men
wrangling in fuch an nnchriHiau manner,
nbout the form of godlinefs, as to make
it but too evident that they deny the
power thereof. You will find fome who
.pride themfelves in being of what they call
-the true church, ihowdng by their wdiole
-converfation, that they are of xht Jynagogut
fsf Satan, Some contend, and foam, and
cmfe their brethren, for the fake of the
^tbancfian Trinity^ 'till 'tis evident they do
not love and fear the One living and true
God as they ought to do. Others you
"will fee raging about their peculiar notions
of original fin, foasto prove themfelves
guilty of aftual tranfgrellion : About elec-
tion, 'till they prove themfelves repro-
bates : About particular redemption, 'till
they fhew that they themfelves are ncK:
redeemed from a vain converfation. You
will hear others quarrelling about imputed
righteoufnefs, with fuch fury and bitter-
nefs, as to fhow that they are deftitute of
jperfonal : About fpecial grace, fo as to
D d 2 Ihovr
404 On the Deceitfulnefs
PERM. flio'vV that they have not even common*:
XI. About faith, while they make (hipwreck
^'^^'~' of a good coiifcicnce : And about the
final perfeverance of the faints, 'till they
prove themfelves to be no faints ; and that
if they had ever any goodnefs or grace,
they are now fallen from it — -But, " who
*' is a wife man, and endued with kjiow-
" ledge amongft you ? let him fhew out
" of a good converfation his works with
" meeknefs of wifdom. But if ye have
*' bitter envying and llrife in your hearts,
•' glory not, and lie not againft the truth.
*' This wifdom dcfccndeth not from a-
" bove; but is earthlv, fenfual, devilifh. —
** The wifdom that is from above, is firlt
** pure, then peaceable, gentle, and eafy
*' to be intreated, full of mercy and good
" fruits, without partiality, and without
•J6mtiy '' hypocnjy, " *
*3- The extreme folly ofhypocrify is very
evident from what has been faid. God
knows our hearts already ; and the Palfc,
deceitful man, who has deluded others or
himfelf, will be as certainly condemned
hereafter, when we (hall *' all appear be*
*' fore the judgment-feat of Chrift," as
thofe notorious profligates, who " declare
*' their (in a^Sc Jo w J' Go on then, Oman,
to deceive thv fellow-mortals and thy-^
ielf ! Go on to mock God,. laying in tliy
^ " . hearty
of the Hearty &c. 405
heart, ^' The Lord fliall not fee ; neither Serm.
*' (hall the God o[ Jacob regard it ! " But XL
yet, " He that planted the ear, (hall not He ' — ^>r^^ ^
'^ hear ? He that formed the eye, fliall not
"' He fee ? He that challeneth the Hea- ^ p.,
" thai, fliall not He correft" ^ Thee ^Ifo t. V, ?o.'
Thou mayefl: put out the eyes of thine
own underfl;anding, and become blind to^
thy felf and thy danger : But thou can'ft^
not quench the eye of day ; thou can'ft
not put out the eyes of thy Judge, which
are as aflame oj fire " in every place, be-
" holding the evil and the good : *' J j /^r*. 15;
There is no darknefs, neither fladoza of V
deathy where thou canfl; hide thyfelf from
Him. — It isfaid, there are fome animals
which, being purfued, are fo fimple as to
fliut and hide their eyes from the purfuer,
and their danger ; thinking both are re-
moved when they are no longer feen ;
and fo being felf-blinded, they become a
more eafy prey. Thefe filly animals ( if
there are any fuch) are no ill emblem of
foolifli, felf-deceivers -, who being hunted
and haunted by their own confcicnces,
and purfued, as it were, by the great
Avenger of blood, *' make lies their re-
" fuge, and hide thcmfelves under falf-
" hood ; § " and become blind to their ^ ^{^'; *^^
danger, thinking that God fees them no
longer when they are hidden from them-
i) d 3 felvcs..
■L
4'oiS» ' 0;/' f7j^ heceitfulnefs
Serm. felves. But in vain ! They ^vi^l ^oon fall
XI. into Plis hands, whofe eje will not /pare §
;";; the day of vengeance !
But tho' this fuhjei^ (liould.bc confide-
red primarily and principally^ .as a warn-
ing and admonition to all falfe pretenders
to religion and virtue ; yet if: may be im-
proved with great propriety,, for the en-
couragement "and confolatiqn of all thofe^
\vhofc hearts iarc right withdod ; eipe-
cially thof^, '^Vhofe lot it is to have their
" names calt p.ut as evil ; *' to be reputed
"^V^icked afid. gracelefs men, and " fepara-
rated from the company/' of them who
fay, JFe are Ixflier than thou. While fome
of the wqrft nien have been extolled for
their piety/ ,*it has often been ( (hall I lay,
the hapjpinefs ? or ) the unhappinefs of
the bell, fuch " of whoni the w orld was
Hot w^orthy, '' to live and die under re-
proach ; to have all their good evil-fpoken
of ; all. they fay or do," mifconllrued,
ajid perverted to their difadvantage, by
Avicked or milhiken men. Thus partial,
thus blind, thus unjuft, ' is the world in
which we now live. But let us not ac-
count tho(e upright men miferable, whoni
our Saviour pronounces blejfedy % how-,
ever defpttcfihh they may be ufcd at pre^
fent. God *' fearches the hearts, and
tries the rci;is, "' not only that he may
render
of the Hearty &c. 407
render to the hypocrite and the wicked Serm.
man, his juft deferts ; but that he may al- XL
lb give to the upright, in whom he de- ' ^"^""^
lights, fuch things as eye hath not ieen,
nor ear heard, neither have entered into
the heart of man to conceive ; He does
it, " even to give every man according to
" the fruit of liis doings, " whether he
be wicked, or fincerely good : And
great is Their reward in heaven.^ With
this confideration, holy men of old ufed
to fupport their fpirits under the cenfures
and ill-ufage, which they received from
the world : None of thefe things moved
them : They were kept in perfeB feace^
their minds being fthyed upon God — •" It
" is required in ftewards, that a man be
*' found faithful. But with me it is a
•' very fmal! thing that I fhould be judged
** of you, orf-of man's judgment :— He
" that judgeth rne is the Lord, There-
" fore judge nothing before the time, uut
" til the Lord come, who both will bring
** to light the hidden things of darknefs,
*' and will make manifeft the counfels of
^* the hearts. '* * With fuch confidera- * ' ^'^''•4'
lions the prophets, and apoftles, and o- * ~^
ther good men of old, uied to comfort
tbemfelves under bad ufage, and fo, in
^ fort, to defeat the malice of their ene-
mies : And in pr.o*portiou as men in
D d 4 later
40 8 On the Deceitfulnefs
Serm. later ages have the fame faith in God,
XI, and the fame integrity of heart, they will
*-*^~^ alfo derive confolation from them, under
fimilar trials, or any other.
The world is now in a great meafurc
malked : Even profcllcd Chriihans often
carry two faces, more refembling Janus^
the pagan deity, than their Father *which
is in heaven. But the time is coming when
all the world will be unmafked > when one
man (hall have but one face ; when everv
perfon fhall appear in his own proper co-
lours ; when the deceitful, hypocritical
man, fhall be ftripped of his gay plumage,
and borrowed ornaments ; and the Up-
right fhall appear to be what they really
are, adorned with thofc internal graces
and virtues, which are *' in the fight of
ii/'#/.3 4. QqJ ()f great price. '* § Men's true cha-
rafters fhall be thus made manifcft, in the
day of the revelation of the righteous jucJgment
of God) when ** the Lord himfelf fhall
*' defcend from heaven wath a fhout, with
" the voice of the arch-angel, and with
*• the trump of God ; " when He *' fhall
" fit upon the throne of his glory, " ali
rtJtions being gathered before him, the
peep on his right hand, but x\\c goats on
the left. In this day of retribution, on
the dccifions of which, our whole intereft
and bein^j depeucb, how differeat may wc
rea-
pf the Hearty &c. 409
rcafonably fuppofe men will appear, from Serm,
what they appear to themfelves and o- XL
then in this world, where fo many walk ' " ^
about in difguife, in a vainjheiv ! Whom
do I behold yonder, on the right hand^
with holy joy and triumph iji their faces,
in expectation of the blefled fentence!
■Are not many of them thofe, whofe
unafTefted piety and virtue was unnoticed
in this world ? Are not many of them
thofe, who were once reproached and
condemned by rafh men, as infidels, ai
heretics, as hypocrites, as workers of ini*
quity ? — But what do I hear Him, whofe
judgment is according to truth, faying t6
them I — " Come, ye bleiTed of my Father^
" inherit the kingdom prepared for you
" from the foundation of the world !"— ;-
•^ Whom do I behold yonder, on the lefi
kanJy with unutterable woe and anguifh
in their faces ; curfing the fea, death and
helly ioT giving up the dead which were in
fheml^ and praying to the deaf, unpitying
rocks and mountains to fall on them, and
hide them from " the face of Him that fit-
" teth upon the throne, and from the
" wrath of the Lamb !" f Are they only ^ v^r^e'.
thofe, whofe " fins were open beforehand,
^' going before to judgment ? "J Are not
many of them thofe, who once made a
profcllxoa of religion ? thofe, who once^<?;^-
- ' tended
410 On the Decettfulnefs
tended fo earneflly for what they called the
faith delivered to the faints ? Are not many
of them thofc, whom this deluded world
tho't almoll the only faints in it ? Are not
inany of them thofe, who fhew'd fuch
^eal even about the circumftantials and
forms of religion ? Are not many of them
thofe, who were once the great alTerters
cf what they termed orthodoxy I and whg
"Were for com-pelUng^ even by carnal ivea-
fons^ all they fuppofed out of the true
(church, " to come in ? " Are not many
of them thofe, who once tho't and faid,
ihat they who did not believe exadly as
they did, fhould perifj everlajlinglj ? Are
not many of them thofe, who once ima-
gined almoft all mankind excepting them-
felves, would be damned ?• — But what fen-
tence do I hear from the mouth of Him,
who knoweth the hearts of all ? — " De-
part from me, ye Curfed !" — What is now
become of all that feeming concern for
the glory of God ? the purity of religion ?
the falvation of fouls ? Alas ! this was on-
ly a cloke, a mafk : Worldly policy, am-
bition, a party-fpirit, pride, covetoufncfs,
felf-conceit, uncharity, bigotry, unholy
wrath, cenforioufncfs, or the luft of do*
mination, was at the bottom, concealed
from thefe men themfelves, perhaps, as
well as from many otliers, uader thofe
fair
of the Heart, &c. 41V
fair pretences ! While they made broad Serm.
their phjlacleries, and affefted fo much XL
gravity, devotion and fanctity, they ftill ' ^""^
loved the chief feats in xhtjynagogues, and
2Xfeafls ; greetings in the markets, and to
be called, Rahh'i, Rahb't. Are there no'
men of this fame charafter in the v^orld*
at prefent I Would to God there were;
not ! There are, indeed, many profefled
enemies* to the gofpel, treating it with
the utmoft contempt, fcorn and derifion ;
and blafphemoufly reproaching theAuthor
of it ; which to them is an evident token of
perdition, f notwithftanding their pre- t W/. r.
tences to probity of mind, and a fmcere
love to truth and virtue : For if the gof-
pel is true, we know that fuch men hate
the light. But there are, probably, many
other perfons, who cannot endure what
is commonly called infidelity and irreli-
gion, or even the leafl deviation from the
principles which they have received by tra-
dition fro7n their fore-fathers ; who are yet
as deftitute of real goodnefs and integrity
of heart, as many open revilers of Chrift :
So that had they lived when their pre-
decelTors, the Tharifees did, 'tis hkely
they would rather have cried, " Crucify
Him, Crucify Him," tlian " Hail Mafler ;^|
unlefs, perhaps, they had cried, "Hail,"
and kilTed Him, only to betraj [— O vairi
: / mortals !
On the Deceitfiitnep
mortals ! God is greatci* than your heart?,
and knoweth all things : He now learch-
eth rhem, " even to give very man ac-
cording to his ways." To His cciual, im-
partial judgment, I leave }ou; praying,
that )r may approve things that are excellent ;
ihat je viay be sincere, and -witl^jut cf-
fence *till the day of Chrijl. * So fhall not
fhame, indignation and wrath, but glory,
honor and peace, relt upon you. Alas \
•' The hope of the ungodly is like dull
•* that is blown away w^ith the wind ;
" like a thin froth that is driven awav
** with the ftorm, like as the fmoke
which is difperfed here and there with
a tcmpeft, and pafleth away as the re-
•' membrance of a gueft that tarrieth but
" a day. But the righteous live forever-
*' more : Their reward is with the Lord^
" and the care of them is with the Mo(t
High. Therefore fhall they receive a
glorious kingdom, and a beautiful
" crown from the Lord's hand : For
*' with his right hand fhall he cover them,
and with his arm fhall he prote^i\
them.'^ t
•f H'i/Jm (fSclemc»,y, i^, 15, 16.
((
it
a
SERMON
SERMON XII.
413
On the Shortnefs and Vanity of
human Life.
Cccafioncd by the Death of a young Pcrfon.
Psalm XXXIX. 5, 6.
BEHOLD, T'hou baft made my days as afp
hand-breadth J and mine age is as nothing
before T*hee : verily every man at his bejl
eftate is altogether vanity, Selah,
SU RELT every man walketh in a vain
Jljexv : forely they are difqtiieted in vain — ' Serm
THE fubjec^ of this facred Ode, is the ^^^•
brevity of human life : A fubje<9:,
which cannot be attentively confidered,
without making us wifer and better.
The Tfalm was compofed by David in a
time of (icknefs, as plainly appears from
the latter part of it : " Remove thy ftroke
** away from me- — ^When thou with re-
" bukes
414 ^^ the Shortnefs and Vanity
Serm. " bukes doft correal man for iniquity,
XII. " thou makeft his beauty to confume a-
^ ~T^'-^ " way like a moth — O ! fpare me, that I
** may recover ftrength belore I go hence,
" and be no more." People in the gloom
of adverfity, efpecially when they have a
profpeft of foon walking thro' the valley of
the Jhad(nu of death , often entertain very
different fentimcnts of the prefent Hfe, and
its enjoyments, from thofe which they en-
tertained in high health, in the vigor of
youth, in great prol'perity, when the candle
• j^i jQ^ of God jhined upon their heads. * Men are
3- not generally jouzed into a thorough fenfe
of the fhortnefs of this mortal race, and of
the vanity of life, 'till the race is almoft
run thro*, and forrow comes fall upon
them.. In early life, and in our prol'pe-
rous days, we fay with Him in the para-
ble, ** Soul, thou haft much goods laid
*' up for many years ; take thine eafe, eat
^' drink, and be merry ; " not confidering
that " this night our fouls may be requi-
red of us/* Thus do many fondly build
Vipon length of days, and pleafe themfelves
with the gay hopes of a long fucceffion of
pleafurable enjoyments here : When " Be-
" hold ! God has made our days as an
^ hand-breadth, and our age is as nothing
" before him : When every man at his
" beft eftate is altogether varuty ; walking
" in
of human Life. 41^
" in a vain fhew : '' So that if we eagerly Serm*
purfue after, and expeft, felicity here be- XII.
low, we do but ** difquiet ourfelves in '- -^""^
vain." Time and experience will, foon-
er or later, convince every man that fuch
hopes are dclufive ; and that fuch piirfuits
terminate where they begin, in vanity and
vexation offpirit - not in the pofFeffion of
that folid happinefs and fatisfac^Hon, which
is the objecit of them. It were well for
us, if we were convinced of this moft cer-
tain, this moft falutary truth, more fea-
fonably than we ufually are ; that fo,
knowing our end^ and the rneaftire of our
^aysy what it is, we might early apply our
hearts to wijdom : For we could icarce
fail to do thus, did we but number our days
aright ; did wc.h\xt know how frail we are ^
and make a proper eftimate of this vaia
life — ^To which end it is, that this palTage
of fcripture is chofen for the fubjeft of the
prefenr difcourfe.
After reprefenting to you the Jhort^
nefs^ I fliall reprefent to you the vanity and
troubles, of this life. Then, both will be
confidered as the appointment of almigh-
ty God : For, behold, it is He that has
made our days as an hand-breadth, and fib-
jeHed the creature to vanity, fo that the whole
creation groaneth, and travaileth in pain toge*
ther until now. f Thefe things being dif- jlj^^ ^^
:• tindly t^'
4r6 On the Shortnefs and Vanity
tindlly, tho* briefly, confidered, the fub-
jec^l will be clofed with fome practical"
inferences and reflexions.
First, Let us confider the brevity of
life. Our davs are faid to be as an hand-^
breadth^ one of the fliortell: meafures in ufe :
And our age is as nothing before God ;
before Him, with whom " one day is as
" a thoufand years, and a thoufand years
" as one day." With relation to an eter-
nal, omnifcient, all-comprehending Mind,
the longcft limited duration muft be in-
deed as nothing. When the Prophet fpeaks
of the greatnefs, the power and majefty
of God, he fays that " all nations before
" Him are as nothing ; and are counted
*^ to him Icfs than nothing, " And w^hen
we contemplate Him, who is God from
everlajling to ever^lajlingy the King eternal
and immortal ; and then confider the
fhort fpan of human life, we may adopt
the fame prophetic fl:yle, and fay, that
our age before God is not only as nothings
but even lefs than nothing and vanity.
But the duration of this our mortal
life is as nothing, even with relation to
fpme finite Beings : I mean thofe which
w^ere prefent, and miniftring fpirits to
God, when the foundations of the earth
were laid ; and when it was faid, " Let
" US m^ke man. '' The Angels^ thofe
1' Morning
of htunan Lifi. 4x7
^^ Morning Stars, then fang together, and SeRMij
^' ALL the SONS of God (houted for, Xli.
^* joy." * How long they had then exifted,
we cannot tell : But they will furvivc 'till
the human race is extin<^t< They beheld
E c Gur
* Job 38. 7. rompared with If<ii. 4. 12 — " ilow art thoii
fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, S071 of the morning /" — The
King 0^ Bdyian is here more immediately intended, (ver. 4.)
but there is a p'ain allufion to the Prince of the Devils, once a
^on of the morrdng, a 7norKivg Star, arid one of the Sons ofGody
who are ibmetimes called Elohi?n. It does not appear that ther?
vv'jre any apoflatc rpirics, or devils, before man's creation. Lu-
tifer, the fi (t PRETENDER, fetms then to have fallen
when he tempted man to rebel ; fettinghimfelf up as thePrince
and God of tliis world ; and telling our firft Parents that they
fhould not die, but he as the Elohim. After the fall, we know
there were many Elohim both good and bad ; but only One
JEHOVAH, who was to be worfhipped by facrifice, Exod.
zz. 20. ^i jacrificat Dili, [ Heb. Elohim ']p^ a'.erquam JqII
JEHOVjE, anathema fi: ; He that facrificeth to the gods, [to
the Elohim'] except to the only JEHOVAH, let him be accur-
fed. This is the language of the ola ttftament : What fays
the new ? — " There be gods many, and lords many, but to
'* us 4l?ere is but Or.e GOD, the FATHER"— Tne contraft
to Lucifer, fee Heb. 1.9. Thou hoji loved right eufne[s and ha"
ted iniquits -, therefore GODy even 'Thy GODj hath anointed the£
kijith ihe oil of gladiicfs above thy FELLOWS. Berwixt whomi
and the Serpent was it, that enmity was to be put ? Who was
finally to bruife his head, after a long conteft ? [ See Van. 10.
13, and ver, 21. Alfo Chap. 12. ver. i. ] Who was manifef-
ted in the fulnefs of time, to deftr^y the works of the devil? to
judge, and call out, x\\Q prirce of this world, who was a Liar and
a Mwderer from the begin f.ing ? Was ic not the Logos f— He
<vh'> is, by way of eminence, ftyled, T\\^z only begotten of the
FATHER, the Fir(i-Born of every creature ? — He who v^^as
k.iown [imperfe(^\Iyj even under the old teftament, by thefe
titles — ihe Anzel of the Loris prefence ; The Angel «} the cove-
nant \ The Mejfenger of the coven.ant ? and whom David in
ffirit called his Lord, iho' he vvas to be his Son according to the
Jlcjh ? The contffl betwixt th« great Frier d and Patron of man-
41 8 On the Short nefs and Vanity
Serm. our origin from the duft of the earth \
Xn. they behold us returning to duft again
in quick fucceffion : They fee our begin-
ning and end, as it were in the fame in-
ftant f themfelves (thofe of them 1 mean,
that
kind, together wkh the final dccifTion and ifTue oflt, was rc-
prefcnted vo^t.'John in vifion, Ap'^c. 12.7 — '* And there
*' was war in heaven : Mf^-jr/and his angels fought againft
*' tht dragon i and the </r<7^*// fought and his angels, and pre-
" vailed not— *And the %xtzi dragon was call out, that oldyirr-
** pent, called the devil ind /ataSf which dcceivcth the whole
*• worM'* — The fcripiure informs us tha: the Logos had a iod}/
prepared for him, and that he pdivtook o^ fijh and ^W, that
he might " thro' death deftroy him that had the power of
death, that is the devi/. '* But that he took into perfonal union
with himfelf, an human Joul, my Bible faith not ; nor that
there it any other true God, befidcs *' his Father and our Fa-
ther, hisGod and our God." Indeed feme wlio call themfelves
Chrillians, have exalted even the rirgin Mary above all that is
called God in be<wen, and that is worfhipped /here ; faying
that (he is more kind and merciful than Qo^ himfelf ; and pray-
11 g to her to command her Son to befriend them ; ftyiing hcf
the Mother o/Ged, &c. It would be no great furprize to me
to hear that the Pope and a general Council, had declared ihc
B. Virgin to be i\\z fourth, or rather the firjl Verfon, in the
Godhead, under the tide of G<7^, or Goddejs The Mother ;
adding that neither the Perjons are to be confeunded, nor the
fubflance divided ; that the Mother is eternal, the Father eter-
nal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Ghoft eternal ; but yet
that there arc not four Eternals, but one Eternal ; that this is
the catholic faith, which except a man beliet'e faithfully, he
cannot be fwed — He that hath an ear to hear, L£T
HIM HEAR ! And he that hath a mmth given him to blajpheme^
[/?rr. 13. 5.6.] ^nd a tongue to b'.lble without ideas, fuH'
derjlanding not what he fays, mr whereof be affirms) let him
blafpheme and babble ! But neither P^pifls nor Proteflantt
fliould imagine that they will be undcrftood by others, if thejr
do not undcrlland them) elves : Nor ihould they think thac
nonfcnfc and cgntradidlions can ever be too facrgd 10 be ri-
dicuUt/s,
of human Life. 419
that are not fallen) enjoying perpetual Serm.
beauty, youth and vigor. To intelligen- XII.
ces which have exifted thro* fo many '^'^''-^
iucceflive ages, our tranfitory life here on
earth, mull be next to nothing and
vanity. And
Many things, in their nature corrup-
tible and perifhable, perfevere in their o-
riginal ftate of beauty and fplendor, much
longer than mortal man, who fadeth like a
flower. The heavenly bodies (thofe great
Preachers and Apoftles of natural religion,
which declare the glory of God fo audibly
and intelligibly, that " there is no fpeech nor
" language where their voice is not heard" )
hitherto fhine, and perform their revo-
lutions and feveral funftions, without
any apparent diminution of their luftre,
or vifible figns of decay. The fun, their
Prince, who has feen fo many fucceiSons
of men upon the earth, the rife and fall
of fo many nations and empires, that
fun is ftill vigorous, and ftrong, and
healthy, tho* he is fo old ; as a bridegroom
coming out of his chamber^ and rejoycing as a
ftrong man to run his race : His circuit if
unto the end of the earth ; and there is nothing
hid from his light and heat,"^ But even he is * Pf^ ^9
mortal ; and will one day ficken and lan-
guifh, all his fires becoming extind: ; and
his ruddy countenance, black as fackcloth of
E e 2 hair^
420 On the Short nefs and Vanity
Sfrm. hair. \ For the heavens theinfelvcs fliall
XII. wax old and perijh ; they fhall hefoUcd up
\^^^^,^ and chafjged-^Bat thou Lord ! hq/l tmmor^
tality, dwellifig in light ! Thou art the
Father of lights^ with tvhom there is r.o va*
riablcncjs, neither Jljado-yj of turnirg !
The days of man are how as an hard^
breadth^ even compared witli the age of man
in the firft periods of the world. We read
of one and another of the Antedikivians,
who lived to near a thoufand years of Age:
Indeed they all did fo^ ( excepting Enoch
who was tranflated) dcfcendingfrom.-^^j/;;
fVli G^/7. down toNoah, in a riglit line.f And fince
^hap. V. the facred hillorian makes no remark, in-
timating that the longevity of thefe Fa-
thers was unufual at that day, the natural
prefumption is, that it was common for
other men to live to fuch an age, before
the flood. How fliort then is human life,
in this age of the world, compared to
Theif^'s !
And in the next period after the flood,
men commonly lived four or five hundred
years ; as appears from Mof/^ account of
'^fCffv XI. the genrratiofjf ofShem, the fon of Noah, ^
However the life of man feems to have
been gradually contracted, from the time
of Shcm to that of Tcrnh, the Father of
him wlio i> the Father of the faithful. So
that
of human Life. 421
that the age of man i\\ Abraham "^ days, Serm,
may be computed to be about an hundred XIL
and fifty years. From which it feems to ^-*"v*^
have been ftill fliortened, down to the
time of Mofes^ who fixes the meafure
thereof at threefcore years and ten. — '' We
" fpend our years as a tale that is told.
" The days of our 3^ears '3i\'QtbrceJcore years
^* aiul ten. " ^ However Mofes^ the author
of thisPfalm, does not mean that men ge- ^^f'^^^^-
nerally attained to thefe years, in that pe-
riod, of the world. He intends that a man
who arrived at fuch an age, might be
looked upon as one that had lived out ali-
bis days, fo that dying then, he came to
his grave in 2. good old age, as ajlmck of corn
^Luhen it Is fully ripe. The far greater part
of thofe v/ho were born into the world,
doubtlefs died much earliei : but to fur-
vive longer, might be lookea i:Don as
fomewhat uiiufual and fingular ; and in-
deed fcarce defireable. For thus it is im-
mediately after explained :■ — *' And if by
^' reafon of ftrength they be fourfcore ^
'' years, yet is their ftrength labour and
•' forrow : for it is foon cut off,and we flee
" away." This reprefentation feems to be
agreable to the prefent ftate of mankind ;
jb that from the days of Mofes, there has
probably been no confiderable alteration
in the age of man. To be fure it is not
E e 3 pro •
42 2 On the Short nefs and Vanity
protracted to a greater length in common
now than it was then, if it is not fhort-
ened.
In thefe later ages of the world, but
few of mankind, comparatively fpcaking,
attain to threefcore and ten ; by far the
greateft part, not to half, nay not to a
quarter, of thofe .)^ears. Many die in
youth ; many more in childhood and in-
fancy. Many no fooner fee the light,
than they are again involved in death and
darknefs : and ibme never fee it at all,
pii[[i>^g au^ay by an untimely birth, "^ Thus,
*/!A/.58. O'Lord ! '' Thou turneft man to deftruc-
Q
" tion ; and iay'it, Return, ye children
'^ of men. — Thou carricft. them away as
*' with a flood — In the morning they are
*' like grafs which groweth up. In the
" morning it flourifheth, and groweth up;
" in the evening it is cut down, and
" withereth. For we are confumed by
" thine anger.'*t Before the undiftinguifh-
iP/'it. 9c. ing fcythe of death, fall promifcuoufly
3'"" the rich and the poor ; the kings and
counfellors of the earth, with their fub-
jefts and flaves ; the robufi: and the in-
firm ; the young and the old ; the beauti-
ful Rachel and ^ the tender-ey'd Leah :
With bafer fhrubs, and grovelling weeds,
fall the plants of renown, and the cedars
i^i Lebanon ; the role qi Sharon, and the lil-
lies
of human Life. 423
lies of the vallies ! All, All, high and low, Serm.
great and fmall, are fwept away together XIL
by the mighty flood which God has bro*t *^^
upon the world : So that the Nile^ as it has
I think been deiciibed by fome, is an em-
blem hereof ; fometimes carrying along in
it's current, the Lords of this lower world,
together with inferior animals, into the
common ocean. Thus are we promifcu-
oufly carried down with the irrefiftible tor-
rent, and launched together into the wide,
fathomlefs ocean of Eternity, where we
fail like Drake and Columbus^ in fearch
of new Worlds ! How fhort is the fpace
which we have to prepare, and lay in pro-
vifions, for fuch a voyage I Behold, our
days are not meafured by furlongs, by
leagues and degrees, but by an hand-
breadth ; and our age is as nothing : Verily
every man at his beft ellate is altogether
vanity ! Our life is " as a vapour that
" appeareth for a little time, and then
^' vaniflieth away." But
Secondly ; The prefent life is not on-
ly (hort and precarious ; but alfo attended
with many forrovvs. Our days which
are few y are alfo evil : So that there is no
fuch thing as being completely happy
here. When we centre our hopes and
expeftations in any thing below the ikies,
E e 4 we
0?i the Short nefs and Vanity
wc fondly deceive ourfclvcs ; and gather
thorns inftead of rofes. It is as inipoflibl^
for a reaibnable, moral creature, to b<3
truly happy in the enjoyment of fenfual
and worldly objects, as it is for the eye to
be pleafed with the found of a viol, or the
ear charmed with a beautiful landlkip^
Thofe objects, in the enjoyment of which
alone, fuch a creature as man can reft and
be happy, arc thofe of an intclieclual and
moral kind. Others have no fimilitude,
no analogy or agreement, to the fupcrior
and moft .excellent part of qur nature :
So that the immortal fpirjt will lUU
pine, and languilh, and crave more,
crying, G/ir, G'rce^ 'till it is " filled
'' with all the fulnefs of God, " Thofe
perfons who are the moft fucccfsful in
purfuing w^orklly happinefs, and whom
many may be apt to envy, are njDt (ber
lieve it ! ) really the happy men they arc
often takej:^ to be. They are generally,not
only far Icfs happy than they gtr/s iuppofcd
to be ; but alio, than they would really
be, were tliey not fo eagcv .iji tlic purfuit
of fuch a felicity. They walk in ^ vain
JheWy ^nd (iifquietthemjches in "jaiu* It is
only the fnew, the appearance pf felicity,
which thev have ;.a gaudv out-fide ihew,
the form oj 'vippincls without the powen
And tiie n^ure anxious \ve ar<2 to obtain
fclicitjjT
of human Life. 425
felicity in this world, independently ofSpRM.
God, the great fource thereof, the fountain XH-
of living waters^ the more do we difquiet
ourfelves in vain : In the language of the
prophet, vjc fpend our money for that which
is not bread^ and our labour for that which
fatisfieth not. We have wants which can-
not be removed, defires and affections
which cannot he fatislied, by terreftrial
things : So that v^re are wretched even in
fpite of that pride, which prompts us to
elteem our condition happy. And if fen^
fual, worldly men, would but fpeak out
the plain truth, they would join with So-r
lomon — "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity,
and vexation of fpirit; " and confefs, that
even in the midfl of laughter their hearts
are oiiQn forrozvfuL
But the vanity, vexation and difquie-
tude, from which human life is infepara-
ble, arifes not merely from the zuant of
proper objects here below, to gratify the
various affections and cravings of our
compound nature, and to lill up the
mighty void in our breafts : There arc
many -pofitivc evils and calamities, to
which we are unavoidably fubjecled.
For " man is born to trouble as the fparks
*' fty upwards." The greater part by iar,
of mankind, are, by the very condition of
their birth; to eat bread in pain ^\\& fur-
426 On the Short nefs a^id Vanity
row, if they eat it all ; to toil hard only
for a tolerable fubfiftence and living here.
Many are, by the providence of God, re-
duced to great dilirefs, to fuficr hunger,
nakednefs and cold, with all tlic nume-
rous and fad attendants oi extreme pover-
ty. The greateft part of mankind now
are, and almoU always have been, op-
prcflcd by wicked tyrants, called civil
mlers, kings and emperors ; opprclTed by
God's fcourges, that call themfelves his
minifters for good. Many are afflicled
Avith long and painful difeafes, which ren-
der them incapable of relifhing or enjoy-
ing any thing ; and fo as to make both
light and life a burden to them. Some
are betrayed by pretended, falfe-hearted
friends ; others are aflaulted and ruined
by profeiTed enemies. Before we return
to the duft ourfelves, we are often called
to weep over our dear deceafed friends
and relations, our other felves ; and have
forrow upon forrow. In (hort, number-
lefs are the difappointments and afflictions
of one kind and another, vjhereof all are
partakers. Nor is there any iiation of
life, from the throne to the galley, or the
mines, exempted from trouble : Purple
and Ermine, as well as rags and fackcloth,
often cover an aking, diitreffcd heart :
/»r#tM4. And every heart knowcth its own bittcmefs*
of human Life. 427
While wc tabernacle in flefli, we muft, Serm,
whether we will or no, be in one refpe^l XIL
like our bleffed Saviour — " Men of for- ' — ^^""^
rows, and acquainted with grief: " And
if we would not keep fuch company^ then,
as the apollle faid in another cafe, we
mujl needs go out of the world. Neither
riches nor power ; neither wifdom nor
piety, can wholly fecure us from trouble
and vexation here : For even thofe ^ood
men who have " the firft-fruits ot the
" fpirit, groan within themfelves, waiting
" for the adoption, viz, the redemption of
" the body. " f The fhort life which t ^^«. s.
we live in thefe mortal bodies, cannot, in ^^'
the nature of the thing, but be a life of
pain and difquietude, even tho' we live in
hope of a better; and were placed in thofe
very circumftances, which we ourfelves
efteem the moft eligible of any in this
world. Nor is this the effect of blind
chance or fate : For,
Thirdly, We are to confider both
the brevity and the forrows of tliis life, as
the appointment of God almighty, God
all- wife, juft and good—" Behold, Tbon
" haft made my days," a^c. Indepen-
dently of revelation, we know but very
little how we came into this ftate ; what
we were placed here for ; or what fhall
become of us when a period is put to the
prefcnt
428 On the Shortnefs and Vanity
prcfcnt lifc\ But tlie holy Itriptures. give
us light in the midfl: of this darknels.
Revelation informs us, that to be fiibji^^i^
to forrow and death, is not the origi-
nal, natural ftate of man : But that we
arc brought into this itate of lanitv and
trouble, by the righteous Lord and Go-
vernor of the world, in conlcquenceof the
dilbbedieuce of our common Father. By
cne man Jin entered into the luor^ld^ and deatb
hj Jin — Mankind, to fpcak after the man-^
ner of men, were originally dehgned for
immortality ; and to be ever happy in in-,
nocence, and the favour of God : But the
apoftacy of oui* hrit parents brought
them under his rigliteous dil'pleafure : and
tlieuce both they and their oUspring be-
came fubjert to deaih ; which has ac-
cordingly reigned from Adam to Mojes^
and from Mojes \o the prefent time, even
*' over them that liavc not hnned accord-
" ding to the fimili.ude of Adam'$> tranf-
" grellion. " So that tho' this is the ap-
pohitment, yet it is not the arbitrary ap-
pointment, of our Maker. — It is the elFed,
and tlie manifeitation, of God's jult dif-
pleafure againll: the fin and rebelUon of
our progenitors : And He, in this parti-,
cular inltance, vtfitcth the iniquity of thes
FATHER upon the CHILDREN, not on-r
ly to the third andfoiu'th gene rat ion ^ but to
t)f huma?i Life. 429
^11 generations. ' For in confequence of SeRm*
this tirft tranfgreflion, " it is appointed un- Xti.
** to [all] men once to die ;'* to die the ^— ^v-*^
firfl death, tho' riot the ficrmd ; it being
certainly only men's own perlbnal lins,
that can fubject them to inevitable mifery
iand torment in the world to come. Only
the foul that fnneth^ fhall die the fecond
death. * The general docbine of fcnptiire
concerning the introduftion of mortality 20.
into* the world, may be fummed up in
thofe emphatical words in the book of
WiJlGin-^'^ God made not death [origi-
*' nalJv ; ] neither hath he pleafure in the
*^' deilruL4ion of the living. For he crea-
*'* ted all things that they might have their
" being ; — -and tlicre is no poifon of de-
^^ ftruclion in them ; nor the kingdom of
*' death upon earth. For righteoufnefs
" is immortal. — -Bat ungodly men with
*^ their works and w^ords called it to
" them."§ — ■'' God created man to be im- § chap. r.
*' mortal ; and made him to be an image ver. 13.
" of his own eternity. Neverthelefs, thro'
" envy of the devil came death into the
'* world : and they that do hold of his fide
" do find it. " X Such as hold of his fide ifChip.ii,
find, not only temporal, but evcrlafiing vcr 23,24,
death.
Here 3^ou fee the fource of death.
The overflowing flood of mortality, by
which
43 o On the Short nefs and Vanity
Serm. which we are carried away, has its origin
XII. in the righteous difpleafure of almighty
God, againft the v/orkers of iniquity. It
might perhaps be in vain, I am pretty
fure it is unnecefTary, for Us to enquire
minutely, how the meafure of man's days
came to be gradually contracted from time
to time, after the fall, till it was brought
down to the prefent ftandard, an hand-
breadth > Some have attempted to account
for this, by affigning fomc natural, phy-
fical caufes : How fuccefsfully, I fhall not
pretend to determine. But to me, this
matter feems not to fall within the fphere
of human knowledge : So that the moft
modeft and pious, and indeed the \\ifeft
way of fpeaking of it, is to fay — " Even
" fo, Father, for fo it feemed good in
" thy fight. '* It is enough for US to
know, That He who, for the fin of man,
griginally fent death into the world, has
alfo, in his infinitely wife, righteous, and
good providence, determined the meafure
of human Hfe in all the different periods
of the world ; by whatever natural means
or caufes it may have been contracted
gradually, 'till our age is become as no^
thing before Him,
The fame general account is to be gir
yen of the forrows and troubles, which has
already been given of the ihoitnefs, of hu-
man
of human Life. 431
man life. For as mortality docs not, fo Serm.
neither does affliHion^ come forth ofihe duft^ XII-
nor doth trouble fpr'ing oat of the ground. * "^^^jobT^,
God who ordained the former, ordained
the latter alfo : His hand and counfel are
equally concerned in bringing both upon
mankind. We are fubjefted tofuch vani-
ty ^ not w.iHingly, but by reafon of Him
who hath fubje<3:ed us in hope. § h Rom, s
Indeed many of the forrows to which ^°*
we are here expofed, feem evidently to
flow from, and to be naturally connefted
with, this decaying, mortal frame, which
we have fince the fall. Hence, bodily
pains and difeafes, 'till we return to the
duft : Hence, our turbulent, diforderly,
and uneafy paffions : Hence we are called,
from time to time, to mourn our deceafed
friends ; our parents, our brethren, our
offspring : Hence, when old age comes,
with its natural attendants, this is pecu-
liarly an evil day ; the years then coming
wherein the moil fay, that they have no
plea fur e in thetn..f Thefe and many other xi^^^/i^
evils, feem to be infeparable from this de-
caying, mortal condition.
But there are fome other forrows,
which fpring not fo direftly from our
mortality ; and which have no natural
connexion therewith, tho' they were
connefted with it in God's fentence and
curfe ;
432 On the Shcrtncfs a?:d Vanity
Serm. curfe : I mean thcfe troubles which ari^^^
Xn. from the ftcriliry of the earth, in confe-
^'^^'^^r-^ quence of the fall ; by which means it
becomes a pahifiil, laborious thing, for
the greater part of mankind to get a fub-
fjttence. This, we know, is agreable to
the original fencence ; and therefore it is
to be afcribed to the will of the fame God,
Avho has fubjecled us to mortality
•' Curfed is the ground for thy fake ; in
" forro-w (halt thou eat of it all the days
^' of thy life. Thorns alfo and thirties
" fhall it bring forth to thee : and thou
** fhalt eat the herb of the field. In the
*^ J'lueat of thy face fhalt thou eat bread,
}Gr/r.3.i7" 'rill thou rctuHi unto the ground.":}:
There are many other evils and for-
rows, which may perhaps be more pro-
perly afcribed to men's own, perfonal^
voluntarily mifcondud, than to their ne-
eclfary frailty and mortality, or to the
curfe of God upon the ground. For how
numerous are thofe pains and calamities,
which fpring direftlv from the lufts of
men ? from that intemperance, r.nd thofe
other vices, which it would be falfe to
fav men could not avoid ; and to charge
which upon God, would be blafphemy ?
Mankind certainly bring innumerable for-
rows upon themfelves, by their own ill
condud ; all which it is more jufi: and
rea-
of human "Life. 433
reafonable to place to the fcoreof their Serm.
own perfonal wickednefs, than to fpeak of XII.
them as the unavoidable confeqiiencc of ' ^
their being mortal creatures, placed in fuch
a ftate as the prefent.
However, even thefe evils feem to
flow, in one fenfe, from the original a-
poftacy ; or from the curfe of God upon
man, confequential thereto. For our rnor-
tal body (the confequence of Adams fm,)
being in clofe union with our fpirits, is the
feat of thofepaffions, which are the imme-
diate occafions of ourfmning perfonally:
" We know that in us, that is in ouvfleJI.^
" dwclleth no good thing. " It is " the
" flefi that lufteth againft the fpirit." It is
" the law in our members^ that warreth a-
" gainft the law of our mind, bringing
" us into captivity to the law of fin. "
If fih reigns, it " reigns in our mortal body,
and we obey it in the lufts thereof."
Hence we read of the ' body of this death ;
i.^e. this mortal body of ftn. It was by
the ordination of God, that we were put
into thefe bodies ; which expofe lus fo
much to temptation, that it is aim oft, if
not altogether impoffible for us, wholly
to avoid fmning. And hence, I fuppofe,
it is, that we are faid to be by nature chil-
dren of'wrath : for no farther than we arc
naturally tliQ children of di/obedience,csinwe
F f b^
434 ^^ ^^^ Shortmfs and Vanity
Serm. be ;i/j//^r^//y the children, or the obj eels of
XII. wrath, * However, no paffion or affedion,
)rQf^ with which wc are born, can be in itfelf
compared finful ; it bccomcs fo, only by wilful or
^'v^'^6*d: ^^^^^^^^ indulgence. A creature cannot,
C9i. 3! 6. ftric^ly fpeaking, be a finner, 'till he has
violated fome law of God, or of nature :
for *^ lin is the tranfgrejfion of the law. "
But not to digrefs —
Upon the whole; both the fhortncfs
and the forrows of life, are the eflcc^f of
God's righteous difpleafure againll the lin
of our fult parents. Tho* we Ihould al-
ways diftinguifti betwixt thofc calamities,,
which are infeparable from this our mor-
tal condition, infeperable from our prefent
(late of trial and difcipline, as it is the ap-^
pointment of God ; and thofe e\ ils and
mifcries, which mankind bring upon them-
ielves by theu' own wilfirl mifconduc^l,
by their perfonal vices. For want of
making which diftin<?tion, many perfons
charge God fooUJljly ; and utter hard fpecchcs
againft Hhn, when they ought only to
Gon dcm a- themfches.
But our time is poorly employed in
contemplating the brevity and forrows of
this vaiiA life, iinlefs we ai\f taiTght hereby
to make a right eftimate thereof ; and t(>
pafs thro' thefi^ temporary troubtes, m the-
paths of wkfdi>m viudpiety, to thofe joys
tliat
of human Life. 435
that will never end. Let us, therefore, Serm.
now draw fome prafUcal inferences and XIL
refieftions from this iubjed.
And here, in the firft place: Altho* it
may be natural for us to lament our mor-
tal and forrowful condition in this world;
yet fmce this is by the appointment of
God, we ought humbly to acquiefce in
it, without murmuring. Our duty is fub-
miflion, not complaining or finding faults
God had an indifputable right either to
give us life and being, or not ; to give it
to us either for a longer or fhorter time ;
and to make our condition either more
or lefs happy, as feemed proper to his un-
erring wifdom and goodnefs. We have
no demand upon his juftice for a longer
or happier life, than that which he be-
ftows upon us in this world, fhort and
unhappy as it is. Nor fliould it be ever for-
gotten, that perfect wifdom, righteoufnefs
and goodnefs, are the rule of his difpen-
fations towards his creatures. The State
we are now in, is fuch a one as God
judged proper to place us in, in order to
manifeft to Us, if not to other beings in
other worlds, his holinefs and righteous
feverity ; his juft difpleafure againft the
workers of iniquity* It is a fignal mani-
feftation of his anger agaifift the firft tratnf*
greffprs of |iij law in this world ; and a
F f 2 perpetual
-m
43 6 On the Shortnefs and Vanity
Serm. perpetual memento to Us, their pofterity.
XII- In a manner Ibmewhat analogous hereto^
^^^"^^^ it is, that the children of traitors and re-
bels to their earthly Sovereigns, are often
deprived of the inheritance which, by the
conftitution of the government, would
othervvife have defcended to them ; and
are fubjec^led to divers inconveniences ;
yea, to a degree of fliame and infamy, al-
tho' themlelves tranfgrefs not after the fiml^
litude ' of their ancejlors.
However, God, who has thus fubjec-
ted us to mortality, to vanity and tem-
poral forrow, on account of the original
rebellion and treafon of our firft parents,
^vhen they hearkened to the devil, has
fubjerted us in hope. Oar condition is not
(lefperatc : So far from it, that God has
made ample provifion for our deliverance
from this Hate of bondage, corruption and
death, into the glorious liberty of his Sons^
For as in ^dam we die, fo in Chrif we
may be made alive : And as we have horn
the image of the earthy^ fo may ive alfo hear
the image of the heavenly, * How joyfully
•iGr.15. ^Qg3 it become fuch creatures, in fuch a
^°' ftate, to receive the glad tidings of flilva-
tion thro' Chrill, who has " abolillied
" death, and brought life and immortali-
" ty to light thro' the Gofpel ? " Sad in-
deed would be our condition, fiibjedcd to
fo
of htwtajt Life. 437
^o many calamities and fufferings as we Serm.
are, and fo foon to drop into the grave, XII.
jfm this life only we had hope ; if we had no ^-^^v-^
profpecl of a more defireable ilate of exif-
tance hereafter. Nor indeed can we have
any well-grounded hope or profpecl of
fuch a ftate, independently of the exprefs
promifes of God, in the gofpel of his Son.
Mere reaibn, or the light of nature, fug-
gefts no arguments for a happy immor-
tality, which are conclufive and fatisfac-
tory, fo that we can reil upon them.
But " bleffed be the God and Feather of
" our Lord Jefus Chrill, who, according
** to his abundant mercy, hath begotten
" us again unto a living hope, by the re-
•' furreftion of Jefus Chrift from the dead
" to an inheritance incorruptible, and un-
" defiled, and that fadcth not away."f —
This moft interefting fubjeft of life and 3,4"/^
immortality after death, lay wrapt in night
and darknefs,after all the efforts of human
reafon and wifdom, being hid from ages
and generations : But it is now fet in the
full beam and light of day, by the gofpel
fhining upon it -, and by Him who has
jhined into our hearts^ fo give us the light of
the knowledge of His glory ^ in the face of
Jefus Chrift.* Tho* vexations, Arrows * ^ Ccr. 4,
and death abide us here ; yet there are 6.
munfions of endlefs peace and joy prepared
for
438 On the Short nefs and Vanity
for us hereafter, unlefs "we will not enter in^
thro unbelief. To fuch mortal, milerable,
finful creatures, how good is this nei.us
from a far country ? how refrcfliing //;// cold
water y to the ibiil ^vhich thirjis after per-
fecftion and immortality ? The contempla-
tion hereof, to thofe whofe hearts arc fully
pofTefled with the belief of thefe things, at
once makes the hcavieil afflklions feem
light, draws out the venemous fting of
death, and fnatches the victory from the
grave ; enabling them to triumph over it
in hope of the glory of God, and oi"that '' e-
ternal life, which He that cannot lie hath
promil'ed." *
But we arc admoniflied by the fubject
we have been confidering, to expect af-
flictions of one kind or another, while we
dwell in thefe earthly tabernacles ; and
fhould arm ourfelves with patience, that
■we may bear them in a becoming manner.
It is an important branch of wifdom, to
proportion our expedations as to this
world, to the nature of the things of it ;
aud not to hope for more felicity here,
than it is probable we fliall ever enjoy.
Being thus wife, we fhould, I believe,
expect but litde from this world, befides
vanity and vexation of fpirit : At leaft, we
(hould always be prepared to meet w^ith
tr'uih and forrows, fo as not to be much
fliocked,
Tii. 1.2.
of human Life. 439
ihocked or ruffled by them when they Serm.
come, as they certainly will, however we XIL
may fondly flatter ourfelves. It is both ^— ^v^--*
the folly and the unhappinefs of many,
that they promile themlelves more felici-
ty here below, than is confident with this
imperfed Hate, and the defigns of provi-
dence. If we ever enter into reft at laft,
it muft be "thro" much tribulation/' *• >^^/ 14-
We are apt to prefume in our profperity, '^*
that we fhall never be moved ; but fome
fudden, unexpected calamity, foon refutes
the fond prefumption. And being thus
unprepared to grapple with affliclHrion, it
proves an over-match for us ; and falls
much heavier than it would otherwife
have done : For to the natural weight of^"
it, there is added the uneafinefs and an-
xiety, which is always attendant upon
difappointment, and fruftrated hopes.
There are not many viitues, of which
we have more need in fuch a world as
this, than j-efignation and patience. By'
fnatching too greadily at happinefs here,
we only make ourfelves the more mifera-^
ble — -'' Be patient therefore, brethren, un-
'* to the coming of the Lord. Behold,
" the hufbandman waiteth for the pre-
** cioTJS' fruit of the earth, and hrath long
" patience for H:,'until he receive the early
** and ktter rain. Be ye alfo patient ;
'' ftabliih:
44^ ^^ ^^^ Short?tefs and Va7iity
flablifh your hearts ; for the coining of
the Lord draweth iiigh." *
But fince life itfclf is fo fleeting and
precarious, we are admonifhed not to put
the tho'ts of death far from us ; but to be
in daily expectation of, or at leaf!:, in daily
preparation for, this great change. To
lay our account ior living long in this
u'orki, is one of the moll unaccountable
follies, and pregnant with numerous mif-
chiefs : And yet there is fcarce a follv
which is more common. We have, almoft
every day, affeding examples before our
ej^es, of human frailty, and the uncertain-
ty of this vain life. We fee our neigh-
bours, our acquaintance, our friends, our
relations, dropping in death and darknefs,
not to arife 'till the heavens he iw viore. We
fee people of all ranks, of all ages, the
young and old, rich and poor, male and
female, bond and free, daily bowing be-
fore the King of Terrors ;many of whom,
we cannot but acknowledge, were far lefs
likely a few days lince, to fall before him,
than ourfelves. And yet, fome way or
other, we ftill flatter ourfelves, tliat it w^ill
be long before our own turh comes to do
homage to this gr catMona?'ch. We take it
for granted, except when we are in fomc
imminent danger, that we have feveral
years at.leall yet to live. It is not only the
young
'^ of human Life. 441
young and healtliy, that prefume thus;
but even the infirm, the aged ; thofe, on
%vhofe heads hoary time has fnowed, per-
haps, more than threefcore years and ten ;
and who already ftoop, as it were to go
down to the tomb. Many, who are
icarce more than the remnant, the fhadow
of their former felves ; and of whom it is
nhnoft a miracle that they are ftill alive,
feem to think that hardly any thing fhort
of a miracle, can put a period to their
days. Strange infatuation ! Myfterious
deiufion ! *' Death ftill draws nearer,-
" never feeming near ! " oiii m
This fond prefumption Upon hfe, is
not lefs pernicious in it's confequences,
than it is in itfelf abfurd and unaccount-
able. It is the fource of the mofl fatal
errors in the conduc^l; of life. This is the
true reafon, wiiy io many negleft thofe
things that are of the lafl importance, and
on which their whole being depends,'
while they bufy themfelves in trifles •
while they are careful about many things
of no real importance, and dtfqiiiet them-
felves in vain. Men could not be fo taken
up with their amufements and paflimes,
or with the cares of this mortal life, as they
generally are, if they had a juft fenfe of
the fhortnefs and uncertainty of it, and of
wJi^^ depends upon it. Much lefs wpuldfc
"•'^>*' Gg they
44 > ^^ ^^^ Sbortnefs tind Vanity
Sepm, they dare to go 6n, from time to time, in
XII. the violation of God's known command-^
ments, if they ferioufly reftedcd, that the
fame 'hour wherein they fin, they might
lift up their eyes in hell, being in torment !
Since thishfeis fo fhort, and the for-
rows of it fo numerous, it highly con-
cerns us to improve the prcfcnt opportu-
nity for fccuring the fpecial flivour of our
Maker, by faith unfeigned, and obedience
to the gofpel ; that fo we may be forever
happy in his mod glorious kingdom and
prefence. We are degraded, in Ibme mca-
furc,frcm the original dignity and perfecti-
on of man : But we are not totally call olf,
and difinhcrited, by that great Lord and
Father, whofe offspring wc are. He has
given us the ftrongelt poffiblc afTurirnce,
that he delighteth not in 6iir dcftrudion ;
but that the wicked for fake his -xvay iind Vrce.
He now allows us an opportunity to work
out our falvntion ; that io we may pafs
out of this world of forrow and death, into
that, where edl tears fhall be iviped av.' ay from
eur eye's ; where there fliall be no more
death, ncixhcvjorrfnv, nor crying, neither any
more pain ; the former things being pajfed c-
Rev. 21. way.'^ If \vc do not defpife his reJt,h\M arc
^' heartily deiirous of entering into it, there
is a peaceful harbour provided for our te^
Caption, from thcftorm that has almoft
lliip-
of human Life. : tsO 445
thip wrecked us ; and which contiuu^illy; Serm^:-
beats upon us, while we fail upon the XII.
ftream of Life. There is a facrcd ark pre-
pared for us, which can neither fink n'o^
overfet ; and which fhall finally reft,
when t;he waters are aflwaged, not upon
the mountains of Ararat^ but upon mount;
Zion that is above, the mount of God ;
where all thofe who do not refufe to be
fevedd» fhall appear before Him, and he^
hold his face in righteotifnefs. Let us not
therefore drown, and fink into perdition ;
or *' neglert fo great falvation ; which at
^* the firil began to be fpoken by theLord,
" and has been confirmed imto us by theiri
" that heard him ; God alfo working
" with them both with figns and wonders,
*' and divers miracles, and gifts of the
" Holy Ghoft,according to his own will/'
Have we any time to lole,or throw away^
when life is fo precarious, and when our
All is at ftake ! What tongue of man^
or of angel, can fully exprefs the impru-
dence and madnefs of tjiofe, who can
trifle and procmftinate, and lull themfelves
to reft in their fii^is, wh^n they know i-^ot
what a day, an hour^ or a moment, may
bring forth ! ^\ Awake ! thou that ileepeft,
" and ^rife fram the degd ;. and Cbrift
" fhall give thee life. " Awakfi, and call
upon thj^Qody Qt thpu dieft fpreverm^rc !
. . G g 2 Now
444 ^^ ^^^ Shortnefs and Vanity
Serm. Now is the accepted time, and the day of
XII. falvation : To morrow may not be lb ; bat
'^ "' -^ the day of perdition to thofe, wlio l>aving
• Rev. 2. Qifpace given them to repent, repent not ! ^
'*• Moreover :
Those who truly fear God, while they
live in this world of trial and difciplinc,
altho' they are already fons^ Ihould ftill
learn obedience by the things ivhich they Jiif-
\ Heb fi^' t ^^ fhould endeavour to make a
8. * right ufe of all thefe temporal forrows,
that fo they may turn to our fpiritual and
eternal advantage. It is not a mere ad:
oi fovereigntj in God, to afBift and grieve
the children of Men : nor does he do it
t lam. 3. willing!3^ X ^^^ altho' we may have had
^3* fathers of our flejl)^ who corrected us only
after their own pleafure ; yet the Father of
our fpirits chaltcneth us '* for our profit,
that we might be partakers of his holi-
liefs : '* And if we gave 77?^;;; reverence,
" fliall we not much rather be in fa bj ec-
*' tion to the Father of fpirits, and live? "
Our afflidions arc friendly admonitions^
defigned in providence to wean us from
this world, to exalt our tho'ts and defires
to a better, to purge away our drofs, and
to refine our virtues, that being thus
trycd, we may come forth as gold, and be
*' found unto praife, and honor, and glo-
" ry," If wc CQUCvu* with the gracious do
fjgn
of human Life. 445
fign of providence in afflivfling us, neiciicr Serm.
delpifing the chaftening of the Lord, nor XII.
yet fainting when we are rebuked of him, ^-^'v-*-'
we fliall be made the wifer and better by
our troubles; even they will work together
for good to us. To which end, .of what-
ever kind our afflidions are, we fliould
always confider him, who once endured
the contradiction of finners againft him-
felf ; Him, who for the joy that was fet
before him, endured the crofs, defpifnig
the fhame ; Him, who being made a little
lower than the angels, for the fufferings
of death, is now crowned with glory
and honor. For while we keep in view
this illuftrious example of patient,obedient
fuffering, and of glorious reward, it will
be impollible for us to be " weary or faint
in our minds :" ^ Since, if we Juffer with * ^^^' ^^•
him, and in imitation of him, we know^
that we fhall alfo be glorified^ and fhall
re'tgn^ with Hi?72.f But irreclaimable tranf- ^ p^^^ g
greflbrs fhould remember, on the other 17-. and
hand, That he who being often reproved Jj^^^' ^
by God's word, and the affliClions which
his providence fends, ftill hardeneth his
neck, and his heart, " (hall fuddenly be
deftroyed, and that without remedy.'' §
Again : ^ ^''- '^'
Since this world is fo full of vanity
and forrow ; fince there is fo little of folid
hap-
On the Shortnefs and Vanity
happinefs to be expefted from it,wc ought
nor, furely, to be very fond of living long
in it. If God had made our days lefs than
\xxv hand-breadth, it is not cafy to Ice why
good men fhoiild be much dejected at this
refledion, unlcfs the prefent life had been
much lefs vain and unquiet than it really
is. It is very incongruous for thofe, Avho
arc daily com.plaining of the forroAvs of
life, to be fo fond of hving, as men ufually
arc. Why are we backward to leave
that w^orld, w here we can find no reft for
the Ible of our foot ; and are as uneafy as
Noalis dove, before the waters fubiided ?
Shall I tell you the true rcafon, wiiy
profeflcd Chriitians are generally fo de-
lirous of living, and fo afraid of dying ?
It is becaufe they have fome mif-givings. ;
ibme apprehenfions that they are not pre-
pared for another \\ orld ; or at leail, not
for that, which they would choofe to go ;
and that if they (hould make an exchange,
it muft, probably, be for the w'orfc. And,
indeed,it muft be confefled, that they who
have no rational grounds to believe, but
that if they die, they mufl: die the death
of the unrighteous, and their lall end be
like his, have great rcafon to be delirous
of living longer here, as troubleforue and
vexatious as this Jife is. But what caule
have good men to be fond of life,or afraid
of
of human Life, 44^
of death ? they,\vho have a well-groimded Serm.
hope in the exceeding great and precious XII.
promifes of the gofpel, whereby they are
already " made partakers of a divine na-
ture ?" Is there any thing on this fide the
grave, very dcfircable ? any thing in, or
beyond it, very terrible, to them ? Do we
fear the grave will be always viftorious ?
Do we fear, that the angels, when they
receive our departing ipirits, will lofc
their way, and not convo\^ us faiely to
yihrahams, bolbm : Do w^c dread the tho't
of being again united to our dear friends,
who died in the Lord ; and who are gone
before us to the paradife of God ? i\re w^e
loth to become comnrdnicants witli tlic
church triumphant of the FirllBorn, which
are both written and blefled in heaven ?
in fine, do we dread the tho't of going to
the general aflcmbly of jiift men made
perfert ? to the innumerable company of
angels ? to Jefus the Mediator of the new-
covenant ? to God the Judge of All ? to
Him, with whom is the fpring of Ufe ; in
whofe prefence there is fulnefs of joy ;and
at whofe right hand are pleafures forever
more I There feems not to be any thing
very terrible in thefe things ; nor any
thing in death, which (hould make a fm-
cere Chriftian, thro' fear of it, all his life-
time " fubjeca: unto bondage," If it is thefe
bodies
44 8 On the Shortnefs and Vanity
bodies which we now inhabit that we
are io fond of, even they ihall fhortly be
rcflored to us : The fea, death and hades,
will be faithful to their tnift ; and deliver
iiptlie dead which are in them, when He
who is Lord both of the dead ajid living,
'' fhall appear the fecond time, without
*^ i^m unto falvation." But tlicfe bodies we
fliall receive, in the renovation of all
things, not grol's and vile, as they arc
when laid in the grave ; but fitted up and
repaired, wmX made more luitablc for the
habitation of purified, immortal Ipirits.
The terreftrial body, ihall be railed a
celellial ; that which is fown in corrupti-
on, iliall be raifed in incorruptiou-; that
which is fown in dilhonor, fhall be raifed
I Ccr. in glory. '• A trulv living and chrillian
s- 40- faith, anticipates thefe things, making them
prefent to the mind, as tho' they were al-
ready accomplilhed : So that the language
of the apoflle will appear natural — •*' God,
*' who is rich in mercy, for the great love
" wherewith he loved us, even when wc
'* were dead in lins, hath quickened us to-
s •' gcther with Chrift, (by grace ye are
*^ faved) and l?ath raifed us up together
•' and made fls fit together in heavenly
** places in Chrill Jefus ; that in the ages
" to come he might (liew the exceeding,
'^ riclics of his grace, in his kindnefs to-
*^ wards
€f huma?t Life. 44.9
^* wards iiLis thro* Chrift Jefus. " f Be once
fully poflefTcd of thcfe evangelical fenti-
ments ; and then, if you can, be forry
that God has made our days as an hand-
breadth, and our age as nothmg before
Him ; be anxious about what may befal
you in life, and ftiudder at the terrors of
the tomb ! — *' O death ! where " — ^^*
For the fame reafon that fincere Chri-
ftians cannot confiftently be very fond of
life, or fearful of death, they cannot mourn
difconfolately for their pious friends, w^ho
have already " put off this tabernacle. "
To the truly good, the day of death is far
better than that of their birth : And if we
love them, we . (hall rejoice becaufe they
are gone to the Father. If you are .not
ignorant concerning them that are afleep ;
if you do not think they are -perijloed ;. if- -•
you fully believe the great dodrines of the'
gofpel, that Chrift both died and rofe a-'
gain, and that " Them alfo which ileep
in Jefus,'' God will raife up at the lall
day, as he raifed him ; then go, if you
can, and forrow for your pious departed
friends, -" ^L'd*;/ as others ivhich have no
hope'' § Go and mourn, becaufe they are ^ ^rbef ^^
•taken away from this evil, troublefome 13. 14-
world ! Go and mourn, becaufe they are
gone to the paradife of God ! Go and
grieve, becaule They, whom you loved
.-U.:> H h fo
45 o On the Shortmfs and Vanity
fo well, are become fo happy ! Be incon-
folablc, bccauleThey, who once mourned
here, are ]\ow comforted ! Go and weep,
bccaufc all tears, except thofe of Joy, are
wiped forever from Their eyes ! Make
yoiirfelves wretched iii this world,becaufe
your friends are to be eternally happy in
another I becaufe They are now at reft ;
and ihall hereafter come forth out of their
graves, and live and triumph forever with
Him that? was *' flain, aJid has redeemed
them, to God, by his hlood'' ! Put on fack-
cloth and mourning, becaufe They fhall
fhinc forth as the fun, ia the kingdom of
their Father, even when that mortal fun
which you now behold, fhall be dead,
cealing to. give his ligh^ ; and the heavens
themfelvGs fhall. be hung with blacknefs
and mourning for his exit ! And w^hile
you are tlius weeping over the graves of
your beloved friends, drop another tear
for yourfelves, becaufe you are to be for-
ever blelTed with them ; bleffed, even be-
yond all your prefent conceptions and
wifhes, if Ilqh alfo fhould " deep in Jefus, "
when your days on eartb arc numbered
and finifhcd !
But to conclude : How poor i* howmi-
ferable a portion, falls- to the fli-are of thofe,
wJiofc only fdicity is in this world ? Js
^lis.a w-orld^ in. which to place our AH -^ in
wluch
of human Life. 451.
^Vhich to feek oiirfupremc^ good? — this Serm.
world, where " all that cometh is vanity" ? XH.
the fafhion of which " pafTeth away," and ^-*v-~'
from which, we ourfelves muft pafs away
in a few days ? What is a man profited if
he gain this whole world, even tho' he
fiiould not lofe his own foul ? One would
think it impoflible for thofe, who have ra-
tional, immortal fouls, to be much con-
cerned about any thing here below, altho'
their -worldly purfuits did not interfere
with their eternal intereft ; there being
really nothing, or but very little, here,
worthy a wife man's tho'ts, defires, and
cares. But for m(^n to fuffer this world to
engrofs their tho'ts ; and to purfue the vain
pleafures, honors, and riches of it, even
to the lofs, to the deftruftion and perditi-
on of their fouls : What !■ — -A fummary
account of the wifdom of this world, is,
that it is imxprejftble folly aild madnefs,
O envied men ! who ^re fo wife as to fore-
go the moft folid and durable happinefsj
and to incur the moft cel'tain, and cxqui^
fite, and durable miferyj for the fake of
bubbles and Itmws and fhadows ! for the
fake of this world, the forrbv/s of which
are fo numerous ; the very pleafures of
which are vexatious, and the more eager-
ly purfucd^ the lefs fatisfa^ory ! — -*' Let
^ •notourfeeaTt envy finn€rs^".f tba'^ they * ^^''- ^^
L:,i\X " H h 2 *' fprcad
452 On the Shortnefs and Vanity
'* rpread themfelves like a green hay-tree/'
What tho' they live, become old, yea are
mighty in power ? § What tlio' their feed
is cltablilhed in their fight with them, and
their offspring before their eyes ? What
tho' their iiouies are fafe from fear, neither
is the rod of God upon them r What tho'
their cow calveth, and calteth not her
young ? What tho' they fend forth their
little ones like a flock, and their children
dance ? What tho' they take the timbrel
and harp, and rejoice at the found of the
organ ? What tho' they fpend their days
in wealth ?• — *' In a moment they go
down to the grave ! " The wicked, how-
ever proiperous, fhall foon utterly perifh :
, ^^^. " As the fat of lambs fhall they confume ;
20. " into fmoke fhall they confume away/'f
Such men may,indeed,imagine themfelves
both wife and happy for a while, making
a mock and derilion of thoic, who feek
their happinefs in God alone, fowing in
tears, that they may reap in joy. But
what the final ilTue and rcfult of things
Ihall affuredly be,both as to the righteous
and the wicked, you may take in the lan-
guage of the book of Wifdom — " Then
" fhall the righteous man Hand in great
** boldnefs before the face of fuch as have
*' afflicled him — When they fee it, they
'* fliall be troubled with terrible fear, and
'' IhaU
of human Life. 453
" fhall be amazed at the jftrangenefs ofSERM.
*' his falvation, fo far beyond all that they XII.
*' looked for. And they repenting, and
** groaning for anguifh of fpirit, fhall iay
" within themfelves, This is he whom we
*' had fometimes in derifion, and a proverb
** of reproach. We fools counted his
" life madnefs, and his end to be without
" honor. How is [he numbred among the
" children of God, and his lot is among
" the faints ! — We wearied ourfelves in
"• the way of wickednefs and deilruftion
" — ^biit as for the way of the Lord, we
" have not known it. What hath pride
" profited us ? or what q-ood hath riches
" with our vaunting brought us? All thofe
" things are paffed away like a fhadow;,
" and as a poll: that hailed by !'* f
f Wifdom of Solomon, Chap. V. begin. — It may, perhaps,
be difRcuIt to aflign a better reafon why the Songy rather
than the Wifdom, of Solomon, is admitted into the Canon.,
than this, vix. That people generally love and reliflt Song>
better than they do Wifdom
SERMON
45 +
SERMON Xni.
Of the true Value, Ufe and End of
Life ; and the Conducivenefs of
Religion to prolong, and make
it happy.
Occafioned by the Death of fome aged Perfons.
.•* Beware vvhtt earth calls happinefs ! beware
;«1«- All joys, but joys that never can expire.
*' Vyho builds on leis than an immortal bale,
•' Fon4 48 he Teems, condemns liis joys to ^catb." !
"Dr. YorNC,
PSALM XXXIV. 12, 13, 14, 15.
WHAT man is he that dejiretb Life^ and
loveth wany dajs^ thnt he may fee Good ?
KEET thy tongue from evily and thy lips
from [peaking guile.
DETART jrom evil, and do good: feek
peace andpurfue it,
THE eyes of the LORD ■ righ-
teous ; and" his ears are open unfo 'v.
oERM. TT IS, ITicTieve, the common wifh of
XIII. J[ mankind, to attain to old age ; at Icafl
to that Avhicli ^vc term fo, tho' there is
really
Of the true Value of Life ^ ^c. 455
really 1x0 fUch thmg as long life in this Serm.
world. There arc but fqw; men, if aay, XHI>
who would be willing that tte glafe of ^—^ >r'-^
life, which is turned up at their birth, and
then begins to run, fliLould be choaked and
flopped before it is run quite out • We
choofe to lee the laft fand fall, and to at^
tain to the full meafure of man's days on
earth. Nor does this fatisfy all : Even
threefcorc and ten, or fourfcore years,
when, by reafon of unufual ftrength, they
are attained to, feem but a fhort life to
thqfe few who arrive; at them, being fpeot
as a '' tale that is told." ^ The Pfaimiift'S • PMg'^-
queflion in the beginning of the pafTage ^'
juft now read, [ " What man is he that
" defireth.life, and loveth many days? '' ]
does not, therefore, imply, that, therc are
few, or none, who thus delire to live
long. Tho! interrogations, often carry in
them a negation ;. their fcnfe is always
to be determined by^ circumftances,. and
the fubjed:' fpoken of. Accordingly the
true import of this queffion, muft herebe,
That mankind in general breatli this wifli>
defiring to fee many days : which is a
truth, evident from our daily- obfervatipjj
ai:td experience. n\
That they may live long, is plainly
die wifh of people in general ; fo that this
may be called their. Common, Trnjer^ whcr
ther:
456 Of the true Valtie^
ther* made with, or without Book and
Form : All in a manner conform to it,
without any fcruples of confcicncc : You
will fcarce fmd a fmgle Dilfonter. It is
the wifli and prayer, which is common to
all nations, to all fec^s and parties, to
peopleof all religions ; ^nd even to thofe
who have no religion at all. Here Pro-
teitants and Papiits, Jews and Mahome-
tans, and pagan Idolaters, are agreed ; all
joining unanimoullv in the fame petition.
In this point, the high and low, the rich
and poor,bond and free ; in this the young
and the old, male and female, people of
all conditions, occupations and characters,
are well united. Good men and bad,
are not at variance here ; both generally
confenting in the fame wifh and conclufi-
on, tho*, perhaps, induced thereto by dif-
ferent, or even contrary, principles. They
who defpife this world, and they who
court and adore it ; Saints and Sinners, here
fhake hands ; and even the Atheift is not
iingular : For he will pray to Nature^
and his Starsy tho' not to GOD, to grant
him many days on earth. That life is a
dcfireable good, might, then, be an article
in every perfon's creed ; and indeed, tlie
lefs people believe of other things, the more
firmly do they generally believe this ; fo
that the greateft Sceptics ajc,«^ here, the
grcateft
Ufa and End of Life y &c 4^5^
greatcft htgots ; being attached to this life Serm.
and world, in the lame proportion that XIII.
they doubt of another. We might there-
fore change and invert the Pfalmift's quef-
tion, and alk — •" What man is he that
" defireth not Hfe, and loveth not many
" days r And, indeed, the queftion
thus put, does, I fuppofe, as fully and
exaftly exprefs his meaning, as it does
in the other way ; the negative par-
ticle making no real alteration in the fenfe
of fuch interrogatories ; the true intent of
which, can be determined only by the
nature of the fubjeft, to which they relate.
It is farther to be obferVed, that the
royal Pfalmift does not here fpeak with
fuch an air, as would lead one to fufpeft,
that he difapproved or condemned this
common defire of living to old age. He
fpeaks of it,not as being in itfelf criminal ;
but as what was natural to man, and
therefore innocent ; at leaft under certain
reftricftions and limitations. Mortality
and death, are unnatural ; as unnatural
as difobedience to God, which was the
original caufe thereof. And mere nature
cannot but be fond of life, and defirous of
removing death to as great a diftance as
poffible. When I fay, that mere nature
cannot but do fo, I mean that a man can-
not, unlefs he is influenced by feme high-
I i er
45 S Of the true Value ^
Serm. er principle than that of natural rcafon-
XIII. and fcnfe ; or elfe lies under the preffure
' of fome heavy calamity, which makes life.
a burden to him. The former is the
cafe of thofe qoo<i men, whofe trea-
furc and heart and hope are in heaven,
" whither the Fore-Runner is for them
" entered, even Jcfus :'* The latter is the
cafe of thofe wretched, thofe defperatc
men, who feek an aflylum from pain
and forrow here, in a tragical, voluntary
death. Had the defire of long life been
in itfelf criminal, we cannot fuppofc,
chat the Pfalrnill would have encou-
raged this defirc in us, by telling us, in
the next words, what is the mod likely-
way to prolong itj and render it liappy — ^
" Keep thy tongue from evil ; and thy
** lips from fpeaking guile : depart from>
'* evil, and do good, &c." That is, Lcti
him that loveth many days, that he may
fee good, keep his tongue, &c. This is
the coherence and natural connexion of
the Pfalmift's words.
It is alfo obfervable, That long life is
often fpoken of in fcripture, as a good, a
real bleffing, the reward of piety. You
know the (lory of good Hezekiah^ when
he was " fick unto death. " And God
fometimes encourages the obedience of the
young, with tlic hopci of living long. — -
** Honor
Ufe and End of Life^ &c. 459
** Honor thy Father and thy Mother, that Serm.
" thy days may be long" — ^Thus alfo God XJII.
fiys of the good man, " Becaufe he h^th ^ ^'"^^
*^ fet his love upon me, I will deliver hinfi
** —with long life will I fatisfy him, and
" fhew him my falvation." \ So length A^?fat.<^\,
of days is faid to be in the right hand of
wifdom. And yon know, that to die in
•youth ; to be cut off in the midft of One's
days,by a premature death, is ufually con-
fidered in fcripture, under the notion of a
real evil : and it is fometimes reprefent-
ed as the effert of God's di-fpleafarc. To
which purpofe are the following paflages
- — y Bloody and deceitful men ihall not
"^^ live out half their days*' — " Be not
"*' wicked over much ; for why fhouldft
" thou die before thy time." Many o-
ther paffages might be' added to thcfe :
But it is needlefs. As long life is the de-
fire of all in general ; fo the fcripture re-
prefents it as being, no unreafonable, to
befure nb criminal, defire : It is fpoken of
"as the reward of piety ; good men are
encouraged with the hopes of it. Un-
timely, or premature death, on the con-
trary, is often confidered as an -evil ; and
'threatned as a curfe. ' ; "^•
f ^ N^ w' ib'.ifiay '- be tifeful, in f9;rther dif-
courfmg Upon ' this ' fubjeft, 'to inquire,
In what rel'pefts- long-life ^is' a! bleffirig \ or
I i 2 why
460 ,Vf the true Falue^
Serm, why it fliould be accounted fo ? It will
XIII. then be fhown, that the praclice of reli-
gion tends to prolong the life of man, and
to make it happy : So that it is incum*
bent upon all, who love many days that
they may fee good, to depart from evil
and do good, to fear God and keep his
commandments : For *' the eyes of the
** Lord are upon the righteous ; and liis
" ears are open unto their cryJ' Thefc
things being done, the fubjeft will be
clofed with fome practical reflexions, as
the time will allow.
Since we all naturally defire to live
long, it were to be wifhed, that we de-
fired this upon rational motives, and con-
fiderations which it becomes fuch crea-
tures as we are, to be influenced by. Let
us therefore inquire, as was propofed,
First, In what refpeds long life is
defireable ? w^hy it fhould be accounted
a blefhng ? and how far it is really fo ?
In order to our making a proper eftimate
of life, it is ncccflary that we confidcr it
as it is ; that we confider it with thofc
advantages, and thofe equally real difad-
vantages, with which the pofterity of
yidam polTefs it ; that we confider the re-
ference which this lilc has to another ; to
the true ends and purpofes of life ; and
tliat we confider what iaflucnce our pre-
fcnt
Ufe and End of Life^ &c. 46 1
fent behaviour, will have into our future Serm.
happinefs or mifery, according to the XIII.
principles of religion. Without having;^
all thefe things before us, and keeping
them conftantly in view, it is impoffible
we fliould judge juftly upon this fubjeit :
We fhall not reafon, but only rave ; and
bew^der our felves in an endlefs rnaze of
uncertainty and error. If the foundation
be not properly laid, the fuperftrufture^
however regularly built upon it, will be
only as an airy caftle in the land of Fai-
ries. If we confider the prefeiu, life,, ei-
ther as more or lefs happy than it really is ;
or if we detach it from futurity, as having
no connexion with another ftate ; we
fhall never come to a juft conclufion con-
cerning the point before us : We fhall ne-
ver know in what refpefts life is a blef-
fing ; how far it is fo ; how it is ta be
conduced in order to make the moft and
beft of it : We fhall always either under
or, over-rate its value 4 aiid the refult of
all, will be no better than, a dream or
reverie ; at leafl, it will not be real wif-
dom, ancj falutary truth.
Let me therefore remind you of a few
,f^6ts, and weU-knov\rn. pri^qiples^. :yyhich
are: to be takei> along witU;U?,>aijd^YKiGfi
arc fo fundamental, that without tnem wc
^cannot duly eftimate the value of life ; but
muft
Srpm. muft needs wander far from the truthV'—
Xin. Jx is'to 'be^rrremifcd, then, That the
jn^tf^t . Hfe' ^ y^r at beft,^/ -^
trdlihfearld.difcjiiietiide.'- This wV^rld was
6trgir\^\\y defigned for a place of happi-
jicfs, by our Creator : But man's apoftacy
from God, has changed it, tho* not into
^h hell, y^t';?nto an' habitation of fnuch
forro'Xv'^^"rtti^'!(^xatiori. For notwithfland^
ftatidtng the many delights, (far more, k^
deed, than we could claim as our due)
which Providence bcftows upon us liere ;
'jtv lb iTnrfierdusV various, tind inceffan?,
'ui^ethe'tidverfities to; which v^^- are fuK-
jeifted, tliat we cannot ^ but groan undet
them, as under d' load and burden, from
which, we would gladly be dehvered,
""il^fetd'iV ddflible without putting off theft:
T!)odics,~^^^^ Lb-cm Ji^rf^- x:i v/oaA ^^/
, It is Mf(^'to*bc bbfcrfed- 'with'rcla'tibn
Vo tht pleafures of this hfe,. that they arc
itattcned i^rtcj' diminifhcd by old age.
^outh"ls4:he*prtiiripil fcafo^^ for relifliing
and'cnjoyiI^g*'thpfc^^ whicH arc properly
CUTlcd tmimal,'fenf]tive rind worldly plea-
fures,.as contradilHnguiflied fr^m rational,
;•'' t^fiee. in' the dayr 'of thy yoiVfh f" For
^(iifter p6t>ple get pall thcmeridiah of life,
-■-•-* the
Ufe and End of Life^ &c. 463
th,e' rejiih for fuQh enjoyments grjjidually. S^R-Mr,
fails ; much ia the fame proportion that XIII/
animal nature itfelf decays. To which it '*'"*'"^'''"*^
is to be added, that old age i^ vifually atn
tended with niai)y pofitive pains, peculji^r
to itfelf, youth being a ftranger;^ them* ' .
thoVnpt to all others. Arid notwithftaiid-
ing fome exceptions, that is doubtlefs a.
juft reprefentation of advanced age in ge-
neral, which the Pfalmift gives : " If, 5 by
"; reafoa of ftrength, , they be fourfcore^
" years ; yet is their flrength labour and
" forrow." Solomon has dwelt longer up-
on this gloomy theme of old age ; and
painted xIiq fceiie with deeper , fhades»
The years are thea come, when the ^oft
fay, that they have no pleafurc y f when* x^^i^r^^
the fim and the light, the moon and tl>e 1. — -
liars are darkened ; when the keepers of
the ,houfe tremi^le, and the ftrxDi"^ menti
bow themftlv,c^;j,;when the grinders .ce'^ife*
becaufe they are few, ajfid tliofe >that look
out of the windows are darkned ; when
tliey rife up at the voice of the bird, and
alV,^tIip clfiught^rs of :mufic\arc brought
Io)?k[,;:wheri they af^ afraid- of that which-
is high, an4 fears are an the way ; when:
the almondwtree fk)uri(heth«, and the graf-
hpppei" is a -burden > and defire itfelf fail-
etlj* - iThis is JSohnofCs defcriptipn of that
old age, with rits^ con^mpn .infirmities .and'
pains.
464 Of the true Value ^
Sprm. pains, t6 which we are fo defirous of liv-
Xlir.- ing. And tho' we fhoulcl attain to it ;
yet it is to be remember'd, that we are
not immortal ; but mufl unavoidably die
at laft, how long foever our lives may be
protrafted. '^^"^ ^^"^ ^ '^ ''"^ ""^
' We mull alfo remember, that whether
we die young or old, we are to live for-
ever after this mortal courle is finifhed ;
and either be inexpreffibly happy in ano-
ther ftate, in the favour and l6ving-kind-
nefs of God ; or inconceivably wretched,
under his righteous difpleafurc.- This is
our time of trial and probation. Tho' we
are a finful, apoftate race, yet we are
candidates for heaven ; fo that if we are
here reconciled to our Maker, thro' Him
that was made Jin for tu ; and ferve God
faithfully, we become his children ; be-
ing " heirs of God, and joint-heirs w4th
•* Chrift " to an incorruptible inheritance.
And the greater degrees' of -true wifdom,
of holinefs and virtue, we attain to in this
world ; by fo much the brighter crown
of glory, will the righteous Judge of all,
give us hereafter. On the other hand/
thofe who Hve and die in their fins, arc
of courfe and confcquence, heirs of the
fecond death ; and muft be miferable in
proportion as they have abufed the good-*
nefs, fdrbeurancc, and long-fuiTcring of
God:
Ufe and End of Life ^ Sec. 465
God ; and mifemployed the talents com- Serm.
mitted to their truft. XIII.
The things which have been briefly
premifed, are the common, well-known
principles of religion ; how little foever
they are attended to in a pradicarienfe.
And thefe principles, it is neceflfary for us
to keep continually in our e3^e, in order
to our forming a proper judgment of hu-
man life ; in order to our knowing, whe-
ther lejigth of days is delirable, or not ;■
and if it is, for what reafons, and how
far it is fo.
And in conformity to thefe maxims, it
may be laid down for a certain truth,
That long life is very little, if at all, to
be defired for its own fake, or upon ac-
count of any happinefs to be attained
here, which is purely of a worldly nature,
detached from religion, and the hopes of
a better life to come. If this is really an
happy ftate, upon the whole, confidered
in itfelf, and without any reference to a-
nother ; it mufl:,indeed, be acknowledged
to be a defireable one in the fame propor-
tion ; and long life might be wifhed for,
were it only in refpett of that felicity
which is to be reaped here. I do not ab-
folutely deny this to be the cafe: But,
alas I when we ballance the account y
4vhen we come to weigh the common^
K k forrows
Of the true Value^
forrovvs of life, againft the common jo}'5^
of it, tlie fcalc of happinefs will, I believe,
very little preponderate, if at all, as to
tiie greater pa,rt of mankincL Many of.
the pains of life are, probably, far more,
intenfe and vivid, tl^n any of its pleafures;,
and they are, certainly, of much longer
dura,tioja. People fometimes lie i,n extreme
torture for whole days, \y:e;ek^; ,a^i4.
months, if not years together, with fcarcc
any int;ermiflion : In comparifop of which
paijis, all fenfual, and worldly pleafures,
are very fhort-hv'd ; and the mofl fenfi -
ble, probably, tlie fliorteft. We never
fmd ourfelves, nor fee others, for any
confidcrable time together f\yallowed up
ill joy aiT,d rapture, as we often fee them,
I'wallowed up of forrow and anguilh.
But leave uncommon, extraordinary
examples both of profperity and advciilty,,
out of the queftion for the prefent \ a;>d
cx)nfxder mankind in general, the main
body of the fpeciqs as they rife. They
always have beexi, now are, and always
Uiuft be, poor and Iqw i^i the world ; ob-
liged to toil hard, to rife early, and fct
up late, in order to get a livelihood for
tbemfelves and families, eating the bread
of carefulnefs. Iii. them elpecially is ful-
filled the prediction and thrcatning, whea
tjic ground was cuifcd for man'i) fake — .
" la
Ufe and End of Life^ &c. 467
" In fofrowfhalt thou eat of it :" What SERiyr.
do th^ lower claffes of mankind enjoy ? ^^^-j
what can they hope to enjoy, which '-— v-^
fhould make inch a life as this, confidered
in itfelf, very defireablc to them ! If frorii
the' fend, you turn your eyes to 'another
elehient ; to them that " go down to the
" fea in fhips, that do bufinefs in great
" waters ;" is Their kind of life any freer
frbiii care, difquietude or danger ? They
htive not always halcyon days ; biit expc-
rience the flormy wind and tempcft.
" They mount up to the heaven, they
** go down again to the depths, their foul
*' is melted becaufe of trouble. TJiey
" reel to and fro — -and are at their wits
" end." f Come afhore iagaiii ; and con- .pr^/,^.
fider thofe, whofe circumftances place 26, 27/
them above the neceflity of labouring for
their daily hread^ in the common fenfe of
the phrafc. Has not the merchant, for
example, various cares and perplexities in
his calling; fo that quiet often' flies hirri
by day, and fleep by night ? and'fo as t6"
m^ke his life almdft one continued hurrjr^
and fciene of difquietude I And, p^Vjiips^
after having made himfelf a flave ilrndft
all his days, to heap up uncertain f it:beSj
he either never obtains them, or having!
obtained them, they ftiddenly"'^ take to
" themfelves wings- and fle6 nwaj^ ;**
K k 2 leaving
468 Of the true Falue^
DERM, leaving him only poverty, difappointment,
XIIL and blafted hopes, to reward his pains !
Rcflcd: upon the man of literature, and
ftudious of philofophical wifdom and
knowledge : Solomon^ the greateil proficient
in this kind of wifdom, long fince obfcr-
ved, tliat he that ''incrcafeth knowledge,"
does, in fome rcfpeds, " increafe forrow**
alfo. So far is it from making a man tru-
ly happy ! The joy and tranfport of an
EuREEKA, is of fhort continuance : And
there are fo many things which w^e defirc
\.o find out ^ but cannot, that there is, per-
haps, as much difappointment and forrow%
as of folid happinefs and contentment, re-
fulting from thcfe refearches ; the wifcft
men having the moll thorough, feeling
fenfe of their ignorance. Behold one
Sage leaping into the Ocean, for grief
that he cannot comprehend its ebbing
and flowing ! See another, precipitating
himfelf intoiEtna,forforrow that he could
not underftand its fires and eruptions !
Were they not more tortured on account
of what they did not know, than fatisficd
Avith what they did ? The plaiji Peaiant
and Mechanic do not feel thcfe pains of
ignorance ; nor run thus learnedly out of
their wits.
Consider, next, the man of ambition,,
•v^'ho '' fcckcth great tilings for himfeli,"
power
Ufa and End of Life^ &c. 469
power and dignity, and high preferments Serm.
in the ftate ; and let him be one, whofe XIII.
birth, qualifications and fortune, (to
fpeak in the language of the world) give
him fome reafonable profpecl.of fuccef3 in
the purfuit. But there are many; rivals
and pretenders, fome of whom muft fail,
if not tlie greater part of them. And
then the dilappointed candidate, is pro-
bably Hung and tormented with refent-
ment and envy. But thofe who fucceed
in thefe purfuits, afcending to the heights
they afpired at, generally do fo, in one
refpe(ft,as the faints enter into reft, " thro'
" much tribulation ;" thro' a long feries
of vexatious conflicts ; for .if they do
not often wreftle againH/pmtual, yet they
wreftle againft temporal '' wickednelTes in
" high places." And after all, the victors
do not find that, reft to their fouls, which
they promifed themfelves in their eleva-
ted ftations. New defires, new cares,
and follicitudes, fpring up from the root
ofbitteniefs^ to perplex and trouble them.
And what flippery places , do they walk
in ? being often raifed by one prince, as
it were only to be thrown down by his
fucceffor, or perhaps by himfelf. Per-
plexing cares haunt the courts and palaces
of fovereigns ; where gorgeous apparel is
often nothing but the fplendid covering
of
.|.7o Of the tru^Falue^
of woe* ^^'Fools may ftare, and enVy,
thinking thoie who appear fb gav and
finiling, miift needs be very happy : Bat
wife men know better. Even thofe who
wear a ttG\^^,^'•and, hdd a fceptc^r, often
tremble left one 'fhould 'fall from their
head, and the other be wrefted from their
hand : And he that is fo fucccfsful in his
politics and wars, as to conquer one
world, weeps becaiife there is not another
for liim to ravage, mixing his tears with
his triumph. ^^1 *^*^
Besides the troubles and vexations
which are attendaiu upon all the different
ranks and ftations of life, and peculiar to
them rcfpertively ; there are others, which
fire common' to them all in general : Such
as bodily pains and difeafes ;and the griefs
%vhich fpring out of the natural relations
of life; even out ofit§ nearelt alliances,
and clofeft connexions.* T^ho^^thet'e is a
degree of happinefs, yet there is alfo a cle-
gree, fometimes, indeed, a much greater
degree, of forraw and vexation, refulting
from thefe connexio'ns. They are the
fource of many difquietudes, while the
relations fubfill ; and, often, of more and
greater ones, w hen they come to be dif-
folvcd ; as they mull be, Ibmetime or o-
ther, in a world where death reigiYs, as in
• '- ^ ' ■ , /■ . , .• our*^.
T-^ —Relations deir» ind all the charities
Of Father. Son and Brother—, MUt. LiS. IV.
Ufe and End of Life>^. &c. ^^\\
ours. The diirolution of thefe natural re- SerMv^
lations, cannot but deeply affeft i^nd XHL
grieve all thole, who are not *' without
" natjural aflection." The vices af'ma.n*
kind-; covetoufnefs^ ambition, the fpirit
of contention and domination ; and thole
other lulls of men, from whence come
wars and fightings, oppreffion, tyranny
and blood ; thefe vices and lufls of men/
I fay, redouble all the other ills of life ;
and make it far more reftlefs and mifera-
ble, than it would otherwife be. J
Taking this world as we now find
it ; and ballancing the happinefs and the
forrows of it, as nearly as we can, 'tis e-
vident, that fuch a life is not much to be
d^fired, for its own fake. One perfon's
experience cannot, indeed, be the exaft
meafure and flandard-; of another's : I>
therefore, congratulate all thole, upqn;
their happier lot, who have.fovirid t^uch.
more fatisfa^lion and good, than pain, dif-
appointment and forrow, here, ^bftrai^T;
i^g this life from the profpect of a better to«
come. Put the fupports, of religioii, and:
'I O fhame to men ! Devil with Devil d^mn'd-*- ''
Firm concord holds, men only difagree
Of creatures rational, tho* under hope
Of heav'nly grace : and, God proclaiming pcice.
Yet live in hatred, enmity and ftrife
Amongft themfclve«, and levy cruel wars,
Wafting the earth, each other to dcftroy ! jMlrV/. JJh» IL
Vid. Matlb, ii, i^, -• ^7.
47 2 • -"Of the true Value ^
SER\f. the hopes of futurity, out of the queflion j
XIII. and I Ihoiild, for my own part, be almoft
^•"'"^ ^ tempted to ijiy with Joh^ ** Let the day
*^ periih wherein I was born, and the
•^ night in which it w^as faid, There is a
** man-child conceived. Let that day be
" darknefs, let not God regard it from a-
" bovc,neither let the light ihine upon it !"*
Were it not that people generally flatter
* IlL?' themfclves,^ that things w^ill go much
more according to their wifhes fometime
or other, in this w^orld, than they have
done heretofore ; did they not prefume,
and take it for granted, that they (hall
li\*e more to their mind in the remaining
part of their life, than they have hitherto
done, I believe moll men- of refle^lion,^
would, to fay the leaft, be very indifferent,^
whether they lived much longer or not :'
I mean, provided they were certain, that*
the whole term of their exillence was
comprifed within the limits of this life.^
Many, doubtlefs, would chufe rather to bef'
annihilated now, than to live over juft fuch
another life as their paft, an hundred or a
thoufand times, and then be annihilated
at laft.f It is generally that hope, which
" fprings
•f Dsns ^s malheurs frefentt^ dans C ejpoir dei flat fin
Uous tie I'ivons jamais, fins at tendons la vie.
Dfntain, demain^ dit-on, va combler tous nos votux ;
DiffeiW't'icfft, ft neui laijje encore plus malheMreitx,
^' ellf efi r irreur, hilaf ! du Join aw noui devore,
ifil df ftouf ne woudrgit recmnencer Jen covrsf wi
Ufe mi End of Life^ &c. 47 3
" -fpringi eCefnal in the human breaft, *' Serm.
tiaJt?h'dr than' any pofitive happinefs and XIII.
enjoyment, which makes people fo fond
of this Hfc. By this hope we are led
on'-'from goal to goal,' from one ftage
o|j-li|fe' tX) another, IHU expcfting to find
ibme greater .good and fatisfaftion than
We have found already ; which hope u-
ilmliy- proves abortive in the end. So
that/ th(i)fe' who have lived long, who
have had all the- means of procuring
Worldly happinefs which any ever had,
and gone the round of every fenfitive en-
joyment, have ''at laft beeii compelled to
owrt, that all is hut' 'uhnitykY\ A nj ex at ion of
fpirik ; that what the world calls happi-
nefsi, is fcarce more than a fhado'w or a
dream : And it is wife in others to truft;^
Their experience, left themfelves fhould
alfo be difappointed in the end. ;
The relult of what has been faid,isi
That the prefent life, confidered in itfelf,
if it may be properly called an happy one
upon the whole, is yet fo but iii a very
loiv degree ; and therefore, that, long
life IS but little to be defired, for the fake
of any happinefs that can, probably, be
attained to here : ( Tho* I will not contra-
di(a::tlie common opinion of the ^ world
fo 'much' as to fayy that the forrows of life
are, generally ipeaking, more than -a bal-'
t ^ . ^ LI lance
Serm. laacc-tp tbp cajoyippfit^ pf j^, ixing ab^
^IH- ilractcd from iiopci ) From whence it foir
lows, that life irlelf, and leng,th of day-S upr
on earth, are a bleiling, chjetiy,^onild^red
with relation to fmiirity ^; \^ thjs ilatq is
introdudory to an.other, and as long life
here gives us greater opportunity and
advantage than a Ihort one, for acquaint-
ing ourlelvcs -with God ; for ferving Him,
and our generation according to his Avill ;
for working out our ialvatign, and i'ecu-
ring to ourfelves a happy immortality af-
tpr de^th. Sifch a life as the prefent,
however long, unlefs confidered in this
connexion with futurity, and fomewhat
that is to fuGC€cd it, w^ould, I think,, de^
inand no great thanks to the Author of
It ; it being but an inconfiderable gpod in
itfelf. But taken with its proper con-
nexions and referen^ces, it cannot but be
looked upon as a great blefling, which
demands our hncere praife ami thaiiklgiv-
ing to the bountiful Donor thereof. It is
4 price put into our hands to get that
i;ruc wiidom ; to do that good in the
world ; to gain tliofe religious qualities
and good habits, which will make u;*
iii fomc iB/eafore happy even now, and
which will, thro' the goodnefs aixl grace
of God, injure to us, and terminate in^
eternal felicity. It is diicfty hi thefe
refpcits.
Ufe and End of Life ^ 5cc. 475
refpe(5ls, that long life is dcfireabk. TTo Serki,
be candidates for innnortal blifs and glo- XIIL
ry, and put in a way 6f obtaining thein, "
is certainly a great privilege. And length
of days, or a long preparatory, probatio-
nary ftate, where i'o much is depending
as there is upon the prefent life, is cer-
tainly preferable to a fhort one. The
more time is allowed us, the more effec-
tually we may provide for our future
well-being ; the more w^e' may acquaint
ourfelves with God and his ways ; the
greater improvement we may make in
pietj and virtue. And this will give lis
greater peace and hopd ill our laitter end ;
and both qualify us for, and intitle us to,
a brighter Crown of immortality, than
a Idwer degree of goodnefs would have
done. ^■-';' .^. .-...-:- ^ .^^^-.._ ^ y
SuRE'tY; ' wH^ ^^e^ft^^e fo gfrat aW'
iriterefl: at Hake ; when the falvation of
our fouls depends upon our becomings
truly wile and good here, it is both natu-;''
ral and reafonable to dclire, that this op- .
portunity' for making' proTifibii for and-'
thid' "Wbrld, for' ah' * eftr^ial ftate, fliould^
LI 2 be'
* There is no ground to think, faking the holy fcriptures
for oor guide, that thoftr who live aVid dic'ifi iHdr JTtBs, fhaH '
niifcrtble men can hope for, is to be annihiUted after fuffcr-
ing
47 6 - Of the true Value ^
Serm. be protrafted as long as may be ; as long
XIII. as is confident with the good pleafurc oi
' God, and this our mortal condition. The
ri^aking due preparation for another world,
however practicable it may be fuppoied
to be in a fhort time, is yet a bulinci's of
fo great importance, as no conlidcrate
man would choofe to have hurried over,
or crowded into a little narrow fpacc, it
it could be avoided. Poflibly a perfon
may be fo foolilTi and improvident, as to
negleft in childhood and youth, which
are vanity, this moil important of all con-
cernments : And when this is the cafe, as
God knows it too often is, is it not a
great favour to have a farther time allow-
ed for this purpofe ; that fo we may re-
deem in maturer life, or in old age, the
follies and mifcondu^l of our youth ; and
may do that work at lalt, which ought
to have been done at iirll ? Alk a man
"who apprehends he is juft going out of the
world, and is confcious that he has hi-
therto lived a wicked, profligate life,
what he would give for two or three
years more, in which to make his peace
with God \ He will tell you, That if he
was
ing unuttcrabU torments : Tho' I do not affcrt^ that they can,
according to the fcriptarc account, hope for fo great » favour
as even this wouKl be, vrx.. to be mterl'^ blotted out cf being I
However, i; m'lll baconfellcd. that fome exprefTions of fcriptUfC
fscni, at Tifil view, to cf^umciurxc tliis fuppofiiion.
Ufe and End of Lifey\^(:. 4^7-^
was owner of a million times as many SrrM'^o
worlds as ever God created, he would XIlLx;
freely give them all jfor a fingle year. ^-— ^T*^
And eyen good men, -when they have th;^ ,
profpe^t; of a fpyei^iy diifolutign, unlef§^j
they have already attained to a; full afTu^-^t
ranee of faith and hope, cannot well help
making the prayer which the Pfalmift did,;
in his lickncfs, " O ! fpare me, tha> 1 mayrj
" .^recover ftrength before I go hence,r^
" and be no more." § From thefe things
we learn the true worth of time, the ufe §^/^^'^39'
and end of life^ the improvement which
we ought to make of it ; how defireable
long life is, and for what reafons. All> ,
in a manner, terminates in this one point,';
Wz, the greater advantage and opportu-; j
nity whicl^ length of days gives; forprc-.^-
paring for another ftate of exiitence, and^*
making our calling and eleB ion fare, . A fn--^
ture ftate being out of the queftiqn,; there
is fo little folid happinefs to be enjoyed >
here, ^and'fo many afflid;ions to be fuffer- -
ed, according to the common courfe of
things, -that it may well be queftionQd--
whether Xiie is a blefGng at all, or nol^ ;
or a long one, preferable to a fliortone. - ,.,
.Upon thefe principles it follows, That --^ 1 ."
a good man, knowing himfelf to be ftfch^^^^nd:i
that he is intitled to the great (^pd. precious
promifej) pf the gofpel, has no rcafoii, .up-^
on*
-Of the true Valuta ^^^
on his own' account, ' to defire^ to live lon-
ger, how young fo^ver he may be. 't'he
great end of life is accompliftied as to
himfelf ; io that for him to die Would
be gain. If fuch a man ftifl prefers life
to death, it muft be folcly upon a prin-
ciple of benevolence to others, and devo-
tednefs te the will of God ; that he may
b'e/inftrumental of further promoting hi^
glory in this world', and ferviceable to his
neighbours, to his^ offspring, to his de-
pendents, to thofc, with Avhom he has
fome fpecial connexions, and whofe good
he is deeply concerned for. And' it is
only upon the principles Iiere laid down,
that any tolerable fenie can be put upon
the apoftlc's words to his beloved jP /;///-
pans\ — " Chrift (hall be magnified in my-
''^ body, whether it be by life oi' by death. \
"'For to mc to live is Chrift*, and to die"-
"'^fe^g^iili ' Bufif'I Kte = irt the flefli, th'i&^^
"^fe the fruit of my labour : Yet \Vhat
"-f^ihalPehoofe, I know not. For I ant
" in a' -fttilic betwixt two ; Ikiving a de-
" fire to dfepart, and to bc^with Chrift;
" for this is flir b^tt^r : But't^^abide in
-Y Pbi/ip. " the iVefli, is more needftil for you. '*t'
I. 20,— To fum Up air in a few word*; ! This is
fuch a life as, being confidered in itlelf, is
vei^y Kttk, if mt all to b^ prized': Confer-
ijiitody it isof Uttie or uo coi\ceniment to'
a
Ufe a?id End of Lifcy &c. 479
a man, whether he lives few or many clays Serm,
here ; only as this life Kas refpe(a and re- XIII.
ference to another ; and the longer we ^"^"v-*^
live, die mere effe^i^aHy^we tnay ptorMS
4br.ouj future vy,ell-bcing» Afloon as \vc
are prepared for another worW, efpeclat-
ly if this matter is put beyond doubt to
oiirfelves, .\ye have wo reafon to wifli to
live longer for our own fakes, and can
do fo only upon a principle of charity,
and. fabaiiiUQU to die will. and providence
of God ; luaiting all the days of our ap-
pointed time 'till oiiT change come, f For ^ joi, 1^^
good men to defire long life upon this H*
principle, (which is, I think, the only one
upon which theGood can rationally defire
it,.) is truly noble and generous : And the
koary. heady whether found upon " fuch a
" One as Taul the a^ed," or upon any
c^lxer perfoa, is truly " a crown of glo-
" ry, if it be [thus], fomid in the way
"' of righteoufnefe. '' % But the (inner, ^ Proverh
tho' " an hundi^d years old, fhall be ac- 16. 31.
'' curfed."-* »„. .
SERMON
480 '-^y^ .•"'■'' * : ■^'''5 \
nbiwS E R M O N XIV.
idftlie'lrlfe Value, Ufe aiid End of
i Lite ; and the Conducivenels of
^: Religion to prolong, and make it
a;.:j}^^p.py,'^':)>ii:'t rrvo v.jo ic: -if);^;!;)' jvii
^vjjhf.rtr^o olqbnhq is no^
Occanoned'by the'Oeatli of ibme aged Pcrfons.
QOQOOQUO^^OQ(^?^QOQQC>lQQQCMQg
.PSALM XXXIV, 12, I3i)i4i f>5.
JVHylT man is he that dcjireth Life\. atfd
:... hveth many dajs^ that he may fee Good F
KEE''P thy tongue from evil, atid thy lips
\[fiomifpcakivg guile. "' •
t)E%ABJT from evUy> afrd do good r feek
peace and. fiirjue it.
THE.cyes'of the LORD are upon the righ-
.J eons.-; mid his ears arc open unto their cry^
PEOPLE are lb univedally dcfirous of
living long in this world ; and pro-
mifc thcmielvcs lb much happinels from
it, that it will, doubtlcfs, appear fanciful
and romantic to many, to fily there is
fcarce any thing to be enjoyed here, for
wliich it is Avorth while to live. But Hill
rIOl^>iJ this
Ufe and End of Life^ &c. 481
this is the truth of the cafe : This world Serm.
is a fcene of folly and confufion, of difap- XIV.
pointment and forrow. It's pleafures are
precarious, fuperficial and tranfient ; its
troubles are certain, fubitantial, and almoft
uninterrupted. So that, were there to
be an end of us at death, few or no con-
fiderate men, could ever expect to enjoy
much good ; or, confequently, much de-
fire to live long here. Such is this life,
when conlldered in itfelf : But the prof-
ped: clears up, when we confider the refe-
rence which the prclent Hate has to, and
its connexion with, another after death.
Life is valuable, and length of days to be
wiihed for, as it gives us an opportunity
to acquaint ourfelves with God, and to
fecure eternal felicity to our(elves, when
our days here iliall be numbered and fi-
niflied. - In any other refpe6l, whether
we live long, or die foon ; 3^ea, -whether
we live ax all or not, feems to be no ve-
ry interefting point. But this matter was
fpoken of in the prececding difcourfe. It
was propofed to fhow, in the ':!':: -iq
Second Place, That if we are deiirous
of living long, and of making the beft of
life while it Tails, it becomes us to con-
duft ourfelve$ by the maxims of religion:
0)v iu the language of the Pialmirt:, to
".:keep out tongues from evil, and our.
M m " lips
482 Of the true Value^
Serm. «' lips from fpcaking guile ; to ck-part
XIV. '' from evil, and do good ; to Icck p<.-ace
* — ^^^'^ " and piirfuc it." The prachre of pure,
iindefiled religion, has a natural tendency
to prolong human life, and to render it,
in fomc degree, happy. For the righ-
teous are not only intitled to the favour
of almighty God hereafter, but to his
peculiar care and guardianfhip in this
world. Even here, " the eyes of the Lord
" are upon the righteous ; and his ears
*^ are open unto their crv." Godlineis
hath promife both of the life that miv ijy
and alfo of that which is to come ; io that
4- iTim. 4. ^^ ^^ profitable unto all things ;f And all kinds
I. of arguments are uled in the holy fcrip-
tures, to induce us thereto. The prin-
cipal of them, are thofc which are drawn
from a future flare of rewards and punifli-
ments : Bat thofe that may be drawn from
prefent convenience and inconvenience,
tho' of far lefs weight and force with a
wife man, arc not whoUv paffed over in
the facred oracles : And, indeed, the latter
may pofTibly have a greater influence up-
on fome minds, than the former.
The Plahnift takes it for granted, that
the reafon why men generally defire life,
and lov€ many days, is, that they may
fee good : They do not dcfire life, merely
for the fake of living ; but in liopes of li-
ving
Ufe and End tf Life ^ &c. 4^3
ving happily. And he aflures us, that the Serm.
molt Ukely means, both of prolonging XIV*
our lives, and of making them quiet and
happy, is to purfuc the paths of piety and
virtue. This being the manifelt fcopc
and drift of the paflage under confidera-
tion, this fecond head of difcourfe, I think,
naturally refolves itfelf into two propofi-
tions ; v'lz^
That the practice of religion is the
moil probable means of lengthening out
our lives : And
.That it is alfo the moft likely way for
us to fee good ^ or to live happily. God
has conneded the duty and interell of men
together, not only fo that they fliall, in
the rcfult of things, find themfelves gain-
ei*s by Jerving Him ; but fo that religion
is advantageous to them in the Interim^ e-
ven in this world ; only the cafe of per^
fecut'ion for righteoufnefs fake^ is to be ex-
cepted.
r^^- The pradice of religion is the moft
likely means oi prolonging human life. It
has a (Xixcdi natural tendency to lengthen
out a man s days ; Avhile irreligion and
vice have plainly a contrary one. All
kinds of intemperance, debauchery and
excels, tend to the death of the body, an
well as to the deitru^lion of the foul j fa
tliat they who " live after the fiefh/' often-
M m z die
484 Of the true Value ^
Serm. ^/> even a temporal death, much foonet
XIV. tlian they \vould otherwifc have done.
Vuluptuoufncfs and fenfuality diforder all
the fpnngs,and poilbn the fountain of ani-
mal life, bringing difeafes upon the body,
and mod certainly ihortening a man's
days in a greater or lels degree. How
many perlbns, have, by their criminal
excefles, impaired their health ; and gra-
dually ruined their conftitution, fo that
they have fcarce ** lived out half their
days .^" There are, perhaps,as many, even
in Chridendom, uho have died martyrs
to the Bacchus and Venus of the Pagans, as
have ever died martyrs to Chrift.
All irregular affections, and inordi-
nate paffions, fuch as anger, malice, pride
and envy, prey alfo upon the fpirits and
life; tho* not fo apparently, perhaps, as
bodily excefles. Thcfe mental diforders
are the ficknefs of the foul ; and by vir-
tue of that union and fympathy, which
there is between the foul and bodv, im-
pair the health of the latter alfo. Even
thofe vices of the mind, from w^hich we
may not fufpec^l: any prefent harm, fap
and undermine us ; gradually Avearing
away the ftrength, the vigor, and the lives
of men. So that all the lulls both of the
flelh and of the fpirit, may be conlidered
as a flow confumption, (tho', indeed, not
a
Ufe and End of Life^ &c. 485
a very flow one in fome perfons ! ) which oERM,
will prove mortal at laft, tho' not feared XIV.
at prefent. For notwithftanding fome '^ — '^'"^
very dilTolute men ; men, none of whofe
paffions have been under due reftraint,
have lived to a great age ; yet, in all pro-
bability, thefe very perfons might have
lived a confiderable time longer, had they
been fober and temperate in all things^ as
thofe that Jirive for the ma fiery. Modera-
tion in all corporeal gratifications andplea-
fures, and a mind freed from inordinate
affections, from extravagant defires, from
irregular, ungovernable paffions, are life
both to the body and the foul ; they are
" health to the navel and marrow to the
" bones. " * Or, in thofe other empha- , p^^
tical words of Solomon^ ''' A found heart is %.' '
the life [even] of the fiefh ; but envy is the
rottennefs of the bones." § What is here ^chapi^,
faid particularly of envy, is alfo true i'fr. 30.
of all other moral diforders of the mind ;
of all vicious affcdions of the heart. Be-
fides ; the vices of men do not feldom
bring them to an untimely end, from the
hands of civil juftice ; and, fometimes,
even from their own hands. Who will
harm us, ifive are folloivers of that which is
good ? Who would lay violent hands up-
on himfelf, were he not either deprived
ci his fenfes, or carried away by vicious
paflions,
4S6 Of the true Value ^
Serm. paiTions, and extravagant defircs, \vhicli
XIV. have got the mallery over him \
Upon the whole, it is manifeft that
** righteoufnefs tendcth unto lite ' in this
world, and fin unto death. Had man-
kind perlevered, from the firft, in their
obedience to God, in their orignal inno-
cence, death would not have entered into
the world at all : For '' righteoufnefs is
" immortal." And altho' we are all now
under the ientcnce of death, it being "ap-
" pointed unto men once to die" ; yet the
execution of that fentence is naturally
hailened on the falter, the more we
deviate from the paths of righteoulhefs.
And tho' religion cannot make us immor-
tal here, yet it has a very obvious ten-
dency, in divers refpeds, to protradl our
days upon the earth. But
2'>- The practice of religion is alfo the
moil probable means of rendering life eajy
and happy to us, cauling us to fee good. It
is, indeed, no great degree of felicity that
any of the Ions of ^Iclam can reafonably
hope for, in this imperfe^^l ilatc. How-
ever, while we live, it is our wifdom to
make the bell of life, to [xds thro' it with
as little forrow, and as nuicli peace and
latisfaolion, as is conlhtcJic witli'duch a
ihite. And if we aim \xt doing lb, ic be-
comes us to li\ c uiid'.M' a fcnl'c of God and
re-
Ufe and End of Life ^ &c. 487
religion ; to keep another world in nnind, Skrm.
and to regulate our tempers and manners XIV.
with a view thereto. It is in this way, if ' "^ '
in any, that happinefs is to be ibiind: And
indeed, Solomon, who had long and fuffici-
ently tried all others, tho* to no purpofe,
came at laft to this conclufion, That to
" fear God and keep his commandments,
" is the whole of man : '' That the
ways of wifdom are " ways of pleafant-
" nefs, and all her paths peace ; that fhe
'^ is a tree of life to them that lay hold
" upon her ; and that happy is every one
*' who retaineth her.*' ^ The paths of ir- * Pro. ^.
religion and vice arc full of briars and ^'
thonis, like the earth after God had cur-
fed it. Whatever diflblute men may i-
magine, it is only wifdom, in the pradical
fenfe af Solomon, that will be produftivc
of true peace and felicity. Sincere hap-
pinefs grows not upon folly and vice ; this
is a foil under the divine maledidion.
Men may " weary themfelves in the wa}^
" of wickednefs;'' but they will not find
the way of peace, or any reft to their
fouls, 'till they find the way of virtue, and
walk therein. Vice and folly as certainly
make men miferable in a degree, even
now, as they will terminate in irretrieva-
ble ruin : Religion as certainly contributes
to th€ happinefs of human life now, as it
will
4^8 Of the true Value ^
Serm. ^7\\\ iffQc in eternal felicity. For
XVI. It is to be oblerved, That in the fame
proportion that religion tends to health
and length of days, it is rillb productive
even of temporal happintfs. The felici-
ty of animal life, {w:\\ as it is, has a clofe
connexion with htuith and foundnefs of
body ; and is, indeed, iiifeparablc there-
from. The corporeal difeafes which in-
temperance and other vices bring upon
men, and by which their lives are cur-
tailed, alfo ciiminilh their happincfs ; ren-
dering them incapable of reliiliing and
enjoying even thofe animal pleafures,
which are the grand objed of their purfuit.
Do you imagine that he who, by crimi-
nal indulgences and excelTes, and a liber-
tine courfe of life, has enfeebled his body,
and impaired his health, can receive as
much happinefs from thofe objeds which
God has accommodated to our nature,
confidered as fenlitive creatures, as One
who, by obferving the rules of fobriety
and moderation, prelbrves himi'elf in
health and vigor ? Far from it ! Such a
man frullrates his ow^i aim : and while he
is criminally grafping at more pleafure
than he ought, deprives himlclf in a great
meafure, even of that whicli he might in-t
noccntly enjoy ; yea, ol'ten brings ilicii
pains and difeaies upon himfelf, as make
life
Ufe and End of Life^ &e. 489
life infuppor table to him. There is a Serm,
great variety of evils, too many to be now XIV.
enumerated, which arc naturally confe- '^—'v"*^
qucnt upon thefe libertine indulgences.
** Who hath woe ? Avho hath forrow ?
" who hath contentions ? who hath bab-
" bling ? who hath wounds without
" caufe ? They that tarry long at the
^' wine, they that go to feek mixt wine —
" At the lad it biteth like a ferpent and
" ftingeth like an adder — Thine eye (hall
" behold ftrange women, and thine heart
" fhall utter perverfe things. Yea thou
" fhall be as he that lieth down in the
" midft of the fea, or as he that lieth
^' upon the top of a maft." * In fhort, * Pro.ii.
nothing is more manifeft, than that what ^9-
is ufually called a life of pleafure, by a
ftrange catachreiis. and abufe of language,
is really a life of pain and wretchednefs. ;
and that men cannot enjoy the happihcfs
for which they are deligned, confidered
only as animals, in its greateil height and
perfeclion, while they violate the laws of
virtue in the purfuit of it.
Religion and virtue are alfo condu-
cive to the felicity of life, as they gene-
rally procure the eftecm and good will 6f
men ; even of tholc,who have little or no
religion themfclves. They promote that
peace and good undcrftanding betwixt
N n man
49^ 0/ the true Value ^
bF.R\f, nian and man, in which happinefs here
XIV. very much confilk. ''When a man's ways
plcafc the Lord, he maketli even his
*^ enemies to be at peace with him." This
is not, indeed, univerfally the cafe. Even
our blefTed Saviour and his apolHes, were
as much or more mahgned by the world,
than any other perfons who were ever in
it. Here were ibme peculiar circumftan-
ces : But in general it is unquellionably
true, that a religious and virtuous con-
du(R: attrads the good-will, and procures
the good offices of mankind. A good
man is far lefs likely to get into troublc-
fome contentions and broils, and to have
enemies, than a proud, ambitious, cove-
tous or wrathful one. Daily obfcrvatidn
confirms this. And there are fome vir-
/tues, which have a more immediate and
.direct: tendency to conciliate the friendlhip
of men ; to promote and to eftablilh that
• good harmony which is {o conducive to
'happinefs: I mean thofe virtues, which
''. arc more efpecially alluded to in the text —
Let him that would fee good ^ '' keep his
" tongue fromevil,and his lips from fpcak-
" ii"ig guile let him depart from evil, and
*' do good ; fcek peace, and purfue it. '*
It is moreover, and indeed very par-
ticularly to be obfcrved, That inward
' peace, ai;id tranquility of iniiid, is not to
be
Ufe and End of Life, &c. 49 1
be obtained but by the pradice of religion. Serm,
\Ve are moral and accountable creatures ; Xiy.
and have an immediate confcioufnefs and "-^ ^
feeling of our being fo. And 'till a man
has taken a fatal opiate, and laid his con-
fcience afleep, it will frequently call
liim to a fevere reckoning for his evil
deeds. It is an accufer, witnefs and judge,
which he can neither fly from, nor ealily
bribe. And how unhappy is that man,
whofe own heart condemneth him \ who,
inftead of being able to look up to his Ma-
ker with confidence, cannot even look
himfelf in the face, without bludiing and
trembling I This, in general, is the cafe
of wicked men ; there is no peace to them.
Even in their greateft profperity, they
are frequently difquieted by confcious
guilt ; and in adverfity, that God, [who
is the " confidence of the ends of the
" earth,'' is a terror to them. Thus are
they "like the troubled fea, when it can-
*' not reft, whofe waters caft up mire
^' and dirt." f How different is the fitua- ^ ^^^^ ^^
tion of the good man, at peace in his own 20.
breaft, at peace with his maker ? in pro-
fperity, having all his enjoyments heigh-
tened by confcious virtue and integrity ?
in adverfity, Imving God for his refuge,
a.very prefent help in trouble, when
the help ofj;n?in is vain J Verily, ".tli£
N n 2 " work
492 Of the true Value ^
Sepm. " v/ork of righteoufncfs is peace ; and
XIV. " the effect of righteoufiiefs, quietncfs
^-^'^'v^^ " ^i-j(^ afTurancc for ever. *' But
Rk Lie ION is more cfpeciallv fruitful
of happinefs, as it gives the glorious pro-
fpect of cndlefs felicity in the Avoiid to
come. ** Wc are the children of God,
*"■ fays the Apoftlc ; :i\\(\ if children, then
*' heirs : heirs of God, and joint heirs
" with Chrift — For I reckon Vnat the
" fuficrings of this prefcnt time, are not
'^ worthy to be compared with the glory
• Roir.. s. " which (hall be revealed in us." '^ With-
i6.~ out this hope of glory, honor and immor-
tality, which good men, have thro' Him
that has abolifhed death, we miglit fay of
all things here below — " Miferable com-
*' forters are they all." What fatisfadion
can a confiderate man take in this world,
\vho knows that he has both a mortal bo-
dy and an immortal foul, provided he has
no ftablCjfixed hope of a better life to come ?
no hope, w^hich is " as an anchor of tlvj
" foul, both fure and fkdfaft, entering
" into that which is w ithin the vail r"
Wicked men cannot have this hope ; or
at Icaft, if they have it, it mufi: be by de-
ceiving themfelves. And without it, one
"Would think that the various forrows and
fufferings of this prefent time, together
"with the natural fears of death, mult bear
very
Ufe and End of Life, 6cc. 493
very hard upon a man s (pirits, leaving Serm.
but little room for mirth and joy : But XIV^
with it, all things are tolerable ; it'
lightens every burden ; it inhances every
bleffmg ; it mitigates every ibrrow ; it
gilds the mod gloomy fcenes of life ; and
is a perpetual cordial to the fainting foul.
It animates a good man, in every condi-
tion ; it gives' him itrength to do, and re-^
folution to bear all things. It dehghts at
home and abroad ; in company and in
iblitude : It brightens our days, and fwee-
tens our nightly llumbers. From youth
to age, it prefcrves the good in perfecl:
peace, their minds being flayed upon
God. Thro' this, they are happy even
without thoie polfellions and enjoyments,
in which others place all their felicity , fo
that " having nothing, they pollefs all
" things." It at once dii'arms both life
and death of their fting and terrors — O
bleffed hope ! it is thou which turncll
mourning into gladnefs of heart, darknefs
into light, and death into life : It is thou
which turned the fulferings of time, into
the triumphs of immortality ; and caufeft
us, even in this vale of tears, " to rejoice
*' with joy unfpeakable, and full of glory !"
It appears, then, that the pradice of
religion tends naturally both to lengthen
out our lives, and to make them happy ;
and
494 Of the true Falue^
and that vice and irreligion have the con-
trary tendency, to Ihorten, and make
thqni mifcrable. But when I fpeak of
religion as having Tuch a natural tenden-
cy, this is not dcligned, by any nicans,
to exclude the providence of God, his
care and guardianfhip of the righteous.
Things have no other tendency, than what
God himlelf has given them : It is He that
has ellabliOied all their conncxions,and who
conftantly maintains them by his power
and providence, ** working all in all." If
the Uves of thofe who fear and I'erve God,
are prolonged ; or if fuch perfons fee viore
good than others, it is becaufe ** the eyes
" of the Lord are upon the righteous,
" and his ears are open unto their cry ; *'
as it is exprefled in the text. On the other
hand, if the wicked die In youth ; or if they
live an unquiet^ joylejs life, it is becaufe
** the face of the Lord is againft them
" that do evil, to cut off' the remembrance
" of them from the earth ; " as it is ex-
prellcdin the verfe immediately following.
God's providence is minutely concerned
in every thing that happens to us : And
both the pravers of the righteous, and the
blafphemies of the wicked, are loud and
vocal in his ears; They are hc^rd from
the deptlis of tiie earth to the height of
heaven, " going up for a memorial before
God " :
Ufe and End of Life, &c. 495
<5od"; the one for good, the other for Serm.
evil. Aiidaltho' this is not a ftate of Alv.
retribution, but of difcipUne ; yet^ God '
even now knoweth them that are his, and
fhews them his peculiar favour ; while he,
in fome degree, chattizes the impious and
vicious, in' the courfe of his providence.
He has actually connertcd our duty and
our happinefs together,even in this world ;
at lead fo far as to manifeft, that He is the
righteous moral governor of the world ;
and that T^hey alone can be happy, who
truly fear him, and work righteoufnefs.
' Irreligious, diflblute men, may flatter and
deceive themfclvcs, if they pleafe : But
even they, in their lucid 'intervals, know
that this is true— It is the immutable de-
crcc of heaven, that none fhall find their
account, even at prefcnt, in departing
from the living God ; from the " fountain
*' of living waters'^ I They may,: indeed,
hew out unto themfelvescifterns ; but they
will prove leaky, " broken ciftems, which
^' can hold no water " ; which will not
retain a drop of pure, unadulterated hap-
' pinefs ; but tranfmit it all thro', leaving
only the fcum, the dregs, and the filth
behind. . That foolifli prodigal who
leaves his Father's houfe, '' where there
^' is bread enough, and to fparc," tho* he
** would fain fill his belly with the huiks
" which
Of the true Value^
** which the fwine do cat, " fhall flill re-
main unfatisficd : He fliall evcji " perifh
** with hunger" in a ihange land, iinlefs
he \^mcs t'j hhnfelf ; mi left he " ariles
" and ""oes to. his Father." Then, and not
till then, Ihiil he know what happinefs
means, when his Father fhall fay- — '" Bring
** forth the beft robe, and put it on him,
'' and put a ring on his hand, and fhocs
'* on his feet ; and bring hither the fatted
'* calf and kill it ; and let us eat and be
*' merry : For this my fon was dead, and
" is alive again ; he was loll and is
^lukexr^, " found."§ In fuch language as this. He
who came to feck and to Jave that lubich ivas
lojl, rcprefents the mifery of thofc who
are " far from God ;" together with their
happinels upon their return to Him :
Which defcription, tho' 'tis allegorical, is
neither the lels intelligible, nor the lefs
emphatical.
But I muft now clofc this fubjeft with
Ibme relieclions, as was propofed.
Those perfons who have already at-
tained to old age, agreably to their wifhes
in youth, have great caufeof thankfulnefs
to the God of their lives. It is becaufe
they have obtained help from Him, that
they yet iurvi\'c. This, as has been al-
ready fliown,is a great favour and blefling;
if not on account of any happinefs of a
worldl}''
life and End of Life^ &c. 497.
worldly nature, 3^et, at lead, inrefpeft of,SERM.
the opportunity which length of days ^IV.;
gives men, for acquainting themfelves ' ^' '
with God, and providing for tlieir eternal
welfare. And certainly thofe who are
thus favoured of heaven, ought to return
their grateful acknowledgments thither.
Those ofusalfo, whofe friends, efpe-
cially whole Parents (commonly our bed
friends ) are prefervcd to old age, ought
to blefs God upon this account. It de-
mands our gratitude, both as it is a fa-
vour to them, whom we ought to efteem
and re\ crcnce, and alfo toourfelyesv The
youiig need the counfels, the admonir
tions, ajid good example of the aged :
And ought to look upon it as a great
bleffing of heaven, when their pious pa-
rents arc thus ;preferve,d to them. But, in-
ftead hereof,, fome ungracious children
feem to think it a burden and misfortune
to them, when thofe, from whom tliey
immediately derived their own being, hve
to a great age ; having their tho'^ts more
fixed, probably ir>\ip.on an -earthly, than
upon an he^venjry /;;/;m/^;/f^. • But if is
certainly very inconfillent with the honor
w^hich weowe to pur i^^//;^r and Mother ^
that om oi\;n (f^ajs^.viay i^d^Jotig in the world,
to think the time ,k)ng .and tedious till
Ty;^'^ are ; taken: outr pf tit.. ; And . al} :fu(jh
O o dif«
Of the true Value^
difrcfpe<5lful, undutiful children, better
deferve the title of hajiards than of fins^
could it be given them without an impli-
cit feflcolion upon thole, for whom they
omght to have a greater regard and reve-
rence. He Whofe breaft is warmed with
true filial piety, will be defirous of pro-
tra(5ling the life of his parents as long as
maybe ; and of rendering age and infir-
mities as'fiippbrtable and agrceblc to them
us he can, even after he can no longer
cxpeft to receive any confidcrablc benefit
from them. The death of a parent will
always rather feem too early,than too long
xkferred, in the opinion of fuch perfons.
However, they will alfo remember, that
men are born to die ; and fubmiflively
bear thefeparating ftroke, when it comes:
Knowing, that tho* Father and Mother
forfakc them, they have a Father in hea-
ven, eternal and immortal, tho* invifible ;
and whofe paternal care is exercifed over
all h'u offspring ; efpecially over tliofe who
" have received the fpirit of adoption,
^jtom.%. " whereby we cry, Abba, Father f'f — •
>5- But to proceed with oiir reflexions — .
It deferves the ferious confideration of
the Aged, whether they have lived fb
long to any good purpofc ? whether they
• have given their attention to the great
^'cnds of 'life ? and ma<.ic fuch an improve-
ment
life and End of Life^ &c. 49^
<ment of their time, tliat they can give a Serm.
good account of it to God, when he calls XIY.
^thern to appear befor-e film ? Which time ^»*^/^=''
is now near at hand, even at the door ;
iince they cannot exped to furyive much
longer. It becomes not One, who is him-
felf young, to be very officious in catc-
-chifmg or counfelling the Old : But, mq-
thinks, if I were myfclf old, I Ihould judgp
it proper to catechile myfelf, in fom,e fuch
manner as this — How have I employe^
thofe years which have rolled over my
head -? how demeaned myfelf under that
goodiiefs, forbearance and long-fuffering,
.which God ihas exercifed -towards me .^
Have I confidered life as the gift and
bleffing of God, to be employed chiefly
iii learning his will, iiijacquainting myfqlf
with his; Son Jefus Chrift, and in doing
his. commaiKlmeni;s, in order to my " ha-
^^ ving right to eat of the tree of life" ?
Have I glorified God in the world ?
and laid myfelf; out, , to b^ ferviceable
.to :my fellow men, ii;i the imiprove-
^ment of the talents committed to nsie ?
-Hasrit been my. daily care and concernrtp
approve, ipyfelf to Hirp, ,whp fearcherii
.the heaift;s,of men,; japd .who ,wiiU; finajjy
•"i.&i^^^ to'i^yery m^r^ i^ccqrding^ %9}W
/*[ -deeds " ? H^s, the faiva):ipn- of ^ijy fpji?!
been the ^fand. ol^jed: ,of ii^y- attention'; ::as
O o 2 ^ almoft
50O Of the true Value^
almoft the only thing that is worthy of it?
Have all other dell res and purfuits been
habitually fubordinated to this ? What
proficiency in true goodnefs and holincfs
have I made, during this long pi-obatio-
nary ftate ? Have I gained the martery of
my lulls and paHions ; and, thro the
Spirit^ mortified the deeds of the hody^ fo
that I am now prepared to leave that
world, in which I have lived fo long ?
How many of my contemporaries are al-
ready numbered with the dead ; while
I am rtill among the living ? Where
fhould I now have been, had God taken
me out of the world in middle age, or in
youth, with them I in the paradifc of
God, or in the req;ions of woe! Suchquef-
tioiis as thefe fecm proper for every aged
perfon to put to himfelf. Nor is it to be
doubtedjbut that many could truly anfwer
them in the manner, in which no one
could help wifiiing them refolved for
himfelf ; all being defirous, whenever
they die, to* ''^ die the death of the riglv-
" teous." But, alas! is there not reafon
to think, that fomc could not anfwer
fuch inquiries to their fitisfiLlion ? Is
there not redfoii tb fear, that many have
fpent their days in a very different man-
lier? in purfuing the vanities of this world,
v/lthout any fcrious, habitual concern a-
bout
Ufe and End of Life, - &c. 5 o i
bout another \ And that even now, when Se rm-
gray hairs are here and there upon them, XIV.
they conllder it not ? I would obfervc "-^^
the apoftle's direftion, " not rebuking an
" Elder, but intreating him as a Father,
" and the younger men as brethren." Let
me befcech the Aged, with all due refpe<a:,
to look both backward and forward ; to
refled upon the life which they have al-
ready lived, and almoft fpcnt ; and to
confider that other life and ftate, which
they are fo foon to enter upon, according
to the common courfe of nature. Poffibly
fome of them may, upon a little reflexion,
fee that tho' they have lived fo long,
they have not lived to fo good purpofe as
they might have done : And others, chat
they have not yet lived to any good pur-
pofe at all ; but neglei^led the grand bufi-
ncfs and concernment of life, 'till life is
now almoft brought to a period. If there
are any of them, who have not yet num-
bered their days aright, nor applied their
hearts to wifdom, it behoves them to do
~it now, and to redeem the time. Their
days which now remain may, probably, in
one fenfe, be very eafily numbered ! —
There is fcarce a more melancholty
light to a perfon of fober refle<^tion, than
a man who is juft dropping into his grave
with old age, ftill tho'tlefs of God, and
another
^C2 Of the true f^alue^
Serm. :ahother ftatc. It is inatrcr of great grief
XIV. to the wile and good, to fee the Young
^'""•^r-^ thus inconfiderate ; thus forgetful of the
God that made them ; thus rcgardlefs of
their future intcreft : But to fee the Aged
fo, is much more forrowful. There is
confidcrable ground to hope, that the
Young may live to fee the error of their
ways, and become wife unto falvation.
But when life is already, in a manner, run
out ; when men have, as it were, -one foot
in the grave ; and are Itill purfuing vani-
ty, draws and bubbles, with all the tho't-
lei's levity and vvantonneis of youth ; the^e
is, alas I but little ground for hope with re-
fped to them. If their cafe is not quite
defperate, ic is not far from being fo. And
furely thole who have fpent a long life in
-fin and folly, muft have a much more aw-
ful account to give of themfelves at lall,
than they who have fpent only a fliort one
in the fame manner. They have " heap-
• James ^. ^' cd treafure together for the lalVdays ;"*
3* 0. *■ treafure of w^rath againft the day of
t Rm. 2 ■■ wrath/' t Altho' length of days, con-
s' fidered with reference to the true ends of
life, is a great blelling ; yet thole who
thus miiimprove -it, convert it into the
heavieil of curfes : And good were it for
thofc who thus become old <in iniquity,
aiid die therein, if thcvhad died in youth ;
yea,
Ufe and End of Life, &c. 503
yea, if they had pafled away like an un- Serm.
timely birth I ^ ^^Xl
But this fubjefl: muft now be applied ^
to the Young, to whom, indeed, it moft
properly belongs— Mr Brethren, do you
'* defire life, and love many days, that
" you may fee good ?" I know you de-
fire it. Hearken then to the counfel of
divine wifdom: "Keep your tongues from
*'^ evil, and your hps from fpeaking guile ;
*^ depart from evil and do good" — • Be
afliired from reafon, from the experience
of others, and efpecially from the infalli-
ble word of God, that that long life and
liappinefs, of which you are fo defirous,
cannot be wifely and fuccefsfully fought
after in any other courfe, than that of fo-
ber religion and virtue. The Young are
generally hard to be perfuaded of this
truth, however certain, and however im-
portant it is to them, both with relation
to this world and another, to time and to
eternity. They pleafe themfelves with
falfe notions of happinefs ; of an happinefs
independent of God, the fource of all be-
ing, ofall good ;•— of happinefs in the a-
bundance which a man pofTelTeth ; of hap-
pinefs in worldly honors and preferments;
!X)f happinefs in ^ fenfual courfe of life.
All thefe imaginations, depend upon it,
if God is true, are .mere delu/ious ,of the
Devil,
Of the true Value^
Devil, both God's enemy and your's. To
purf'ue happineis thus, to the ncgled of
God and your fouls, is a mod certain, in-
fallible \vay,to make youriclvcs mifcrable;
miibrable in fomc degree now, and in-
conceiveably fo hereafter. And by ta-
king fuch a courfe you will, probablv,
fliorten thofo lives which you love fo well,
and wliich were given }'ou for far nobler
purpofes. ** O that you were wife, that
'* you underltood this, that you would
\Dnii 32 «i consider your latter end Tf For o-
^" therwifo, nou will onl)^ weary yourfelves
in fceking felicity, where it is not to be
found ; inflcad of feeking it in God, and
in his fer\ ice, where iione ever fought it,
and,,niiircd of it. Doll thou think that
religion is a melancholly, joylefs thing ?
Doit thou think we would rob thee of
thy happineis, under the appearance of
friendfliip ? DofI: thou think there is no
true happineis, but in wealth and equipage \
in earthly fplendor, and Jeniual gratiiica-
cations ? Is thy heart thus attached to toys
^Mntthiw and vanities r — Alas ! thy guardian * An-
18. 10 jr^q weeps over thee, ready to reiign his
charge, fearing leil: he does not now
vi'Dvfter to One, who iliall be an heir of
. jifirfusfi^'^'^^'^^^ ' t Ye^, He who was once
J. 14. ma(]e a little l(nvcr tJmn the angels for thy
redemption, but is now crov-nied luith glo-
ry
Ufe and End of Lifcy &c. 505
ry and honor, § and ivorflipped by them ; f oERM.
even He, could grief enter the heavenly XIV.
manfions, would v^eep over thee, as he ^-;j;^;^^
once wept ovQ\'Jerufalem ! X Yea, His Fa- f Chap. i.
ther and your Father, His God and your ^^J^ ^^•
God, is moved with pity for thee, faying, 41/ *'*
" How fhall I give thee up ! — -how fhall
" I deliver thee !■ — Mine heart is turned
" within me, my repentings are kindled
" together r* *^^-"-
^Tho* you may now, for want of con-
fideration and experience, think you can
be happy without being truly rehgious
and virtuous ; yet all the wife and good
men who have gone before you, have born
their united teflimony, at the clofe of life,
to the emptinefs and vanity, and vexatious
nature of thofe things, which you are fo
apt to fet your hearts upon ; and from
which you promife yourfelves felicity.
Have they not all declared, at a time
when they could have no temptation to
deceive us, that they could never find
any fubflantial good or fatisfadion, in
thcfe things ? Have they not, at the fame
time, born witnefs to the excellency of
religion I to the folid peace, comfort,
and joyful hope, rcfulting therefrom ?
Have they not declared, that their real
happinefs arofe, in the courfe of their lives,
npt in proportion to their wealth, honors,
P p and
5o6 Of the true Value ^
and fenfual indulgences, but in proper-*
tion to their care to plcafe God, and to
do good in the world ? Have not thofe,
who have had much more experience of
what it is in the power of richts,' world-
ly honors ^nd pleafures, to give their vo-
taries, than any of Us can ever expec?t to
have ?• — have not the Lords of millions,
^theg^feat men.ofthfe earth-, eVen tnighty
kings and potentates, as well as'dth^rs, |iri
lower life, born this tcftimony r' Have
not wife and good men, near the clofe
of life, tho't that warnings and axlmoni-
tions of this fort, were the moft valuable
kgacy they could leave tO'thcir offspi-ing,
and iurviving friends? to them, whom*
they were fo far from envying any thing
truly good, that they loved th^m as their ■
own ibuls ? Shall we pay ' n6 regard, to
the experience and teftimony of fo gi^cnit a
cloud of iuitrie(feSy who being dead yet^
fpeak ; exhorting us to be followers of
them, who already inherk the p-omTJcs ?
Yea^ father, fhall we not regard tliat gre^t,
that f hi th/hl and true Jf^ttnefs, who came
from heaven on purpofe to guide mifcrable
men thither f even Him who has faid,
" Take my yoke upon you, and learn of,
" nie, for I am meek and lo\yly in hc^rt ^
Xidaubetv "and ye (hall find reft unta j^ut foul^ ?" j
»»• »9- ^— Him who has faid, " My peace I give
** unto
Ufe and^End of Lifci Sec. 507
" unto you ; not as the world give th, SERiCf/
" give I unto you : Let not your heart XIV.
" be troubled, neither let it be afraid ?"f
Shall we ieek for happinefs in this world,
where npne ever yet foui^id it ? Or where
none,who properly ieek it, fcek it in vain ?
Happy are they, who learn wifdom from
the miftakes and follies of others ! Be-
ware of the rocks upon which fo many
thoufands have been fliipwreck'd, and
wholly deftroyed. Some who have run .
upon them, have, indeed, been fo hap-
py as to get off again : And they have
kindly fet up their beacons and landmarks
for the diredion of thofe, Avho were to
fail after them upon the fea of Ufe ; where
there is many a Scylla and Charyhdis^ and
as many enchanting Syrens to draw us to
them. We have, befides thofe landmarks,
an heavenly Pilot : Who, then, will pity
us, if we refufe to be direfted by him ; and
will run upon certain defl:ru(5lion ? — -Even
He that made us, will not have mercy upoit
us ; and he that formed us, luillfiezu. us.no^
favour ! anfj;'[>a3t hva
If we defire to live long ; if, to pafs
thro' the prefent fcene with comfort ; if,--
to die in peace in a good old age ; and if,;
to live and triumph forever in thox glori*--
ous Urate, where there lis neither an infant
of days, nor an hoary head ■; if this bei
P p 2 our
5o8 Of the true Value ^
our defire, let us devote ourfelves, in the
days of our youth, to the fervice of our
great and good Creator., We may then
hope that thofe words will be verified in
us, " Thou fhalt come to thy grave in a
" full age, like as a fhock of corn cometh
" in, in his feafon. Lo this, we have
" fearched it, fo it is ; hear it, and know
Jih 5. ** thou it FOR THY GOOD. " *
'^' ^7' \^ fine ) Let all bear in mind the great
end of life ; and let us all, young men and
maidens, old men and children, praife the
name of the Lord ; ferving the God of
our Fathers, with a perfecft heart, and
with a ready mind. Tho' religion allows
us, while we live here, to be converfant
about our fecular affairs ; and altho* even
fome good men often give a great part of
their attention to this world, (indeed much
more than they ought to do) yet it is ef-
fcntial to the Chriftian characler, that a
man's heart and hope are habitually in
iieavcn. Tiie Mariner's needle, wlien du-
• ly touched by the magnet, has a dirccflion
and tendency to the North : And tho' it
may be diflurbed, fo that it will tremble
and waver for a time betwixt the two'
poles, or even feem to incline molt to
the fouth ; will yet fix and come to a
iland, only where it ought to do. Thus
the foul of a good man, being thoroughly
touch-
Ufe and End of Life ^ &c, 509
touched by the fpirit of the liring God, Serm.
will ever tend towards Him, and point to XIV.
heaven. Tho' it may be difturbed by at- ^ ^~*-'
tractions from below ; and waver for a
moment betwixt God and the world, or
even feem to incline more to earth than
heaven ; yet it will come to a fland, and
fix, towards no other point in the hemif-
phere befides the Zenith; whither He, who
once defcended,is again afcended, even far
above all principality and power; whither
He is gone to prepare a place, a fafe re-
treat from the ftorms and difturbances of
this impure, inclement region, for all his
faithful fervants ; that v/hereHe Is, thej may
he alfo, and behold his glory. If the great
end of life is anfwered ; if wc truly know
God aiKl Jefus Chrift ; if we are "accoun-
" ted worthy to obtain that world, and
•' the refurreftion from the dead ;'' § it is ^Luke.20.
not very material whether we die in youth, 35-
or in advanced age. The death of thofe
who live the longed, is fadly premature,
if they die in fni and folly : It is, in the
worft of fenfes, to die before our time,
to be taken out of this world unprepared
for another, unlefs it is by being fitted for
deftruc^ion, and becoming ripe for ven-
geance [ On the other hand, the death
of thole who live the (horteil fpace, can-
not well be faid to be premature, provi-
ded
5 i.ft Of the true Value, &c.
Serm. clecl they die truly ivifc and virtuous-
XaV^ To be fit for heaven, is m effea, to be
"O^ old, and ripe for the grave. And fome
are fo happy, as even in early life, to
attain to th^t fubftantial. wifdom and
goodnefs, to which old age is often a
(Iranger : So that you fee '' Honourable
" age is not that which flandcth in
" length of time, or that is meafured by
" number of years : But wifdom is the
^,^,, '' §^ay hair unto men, and an unfpotted
rtl " l^fe is old age/^ t ^
THE END.
^^^ ^^^ ^^^
it 44. 44,
^be moft material Errata of the Prefs j thofe in the pointiiigf
and even form in the fpeliing^ being omitted.
"^ge*
Lincy
Read,
'3
>3
cfFeftual means Sec.
i6
12
from the bot. by others heretofore.
25
8
bot. terreftrial &c.
3«
3
difciple above his Lord &o.
32
4
not be the word &c.
35
1 marginal
note pafTage &c.
36
10
to better &c.
45
3
one and another &c.
58
7
bot. dodrine &c.
59
3
bot. eclipfe all the mental &c.
60
1
infufceptible &c.
65
II
be made truly Jood &c.
bot. reafonably &-c. ■ "
7«
H
76
12
at the fame time &c.
79
9
bot. men in ; in order &c.
87
9
they call &c.
88
10
flafhy &c.
101
3
bot. than the whole current &c.
105
3
inconfiderable foever &c.
107
6
confiftency &c.
"3
I
reafonings &c.
121
7
were not &c.
'3»
13&
14.
bot. many things which &c.
'39
8&
9
bot. fhall aflually &c.
141
5
internal fandity &c.
142
2
bot. to a great &c.
167
H
bot. than God &c.
243
2
bat. often faid by &c.
286
4
abideth &c.
II
that there is &-c.
318
H
receive it from the Uc.
325
1 5 marg. note bot. guilty as to &c.
327
20 marg. note bot. the term law &c.
349
"5
bot. reafonably look &c.
363
7
good men &c.
377
389
5
9
bot. Is it not kc.
bot. SECONDLY to confidcr Sec,
400
II
bot. diftrufted yourfelf &c.
412
3
every man Sec.
472
ult.
Marg.
voudroit &c.
486
7
their original &c.
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